Konaté's Liverpool Exit Door Creaking Shut: New Deal on the Horizon?
Ibrahima Konaté is reportedly more likely to extend his Liverpool contract than leave as a free agent, despite ongoing wage talks. The defender seeks a raise to match top earners like Ryan Gravenberch, but suitors like Bayern and PSG have cooled off. His recent 'we' comments hint at staying put for the rebuild.
Konaté's Liverpool Exit Door Creaking Shut: New Deal on the Horizon?
Picture this: another Liverpool contract saga bubbling away like a dodgy pint left too long on the bar. Ibrahima Konaté, the towering French centre-back, is edging closer to penning a fresh deal at Anfield, despite the usual haggling over wages. Reports from The Athletic reckon he's more likely to stay on Merseyside than scarper off into the sunset come June 30, when his current terms expire.
It's been a season of ups and downs for the 26-year-old, who alongside most of his mates has had a few wobbles. Boss Arne Slot even quipped that Konaté's been hanging around the 'crime scene' a bit too often – a cheeky nod to those defensive lapses. Still, lose him and you'd have a crater in that backline bigger than a Scouse black hole.
The Salary Standoff: What’s He After?
Konaté's not one for the headlines on this front. Last summer, right after lifting the Premier League trophy, he shut down the wild rumours quick sharp. "I didn’t even ask for owt from the club," he shrugged off. Nah, they offered, he countered – simple as.
The sticking point? Salary. Currently on around £150,000 a week (that's $199,000 for the Yanks), he's pushing for parity with the big guns. Not Mo Salah money – that $640,000 weekly beast is off the books soon anyway – nor Virgil van Dijk's worldie $540,000 as the planet's top-paid centre-half.
He's eyeing something closer to the likes of new boy Ryan Gravenberch, who's just inked a deal making him fourth on the list at $372,000. For context, here's how the top earners stack up:
| Player | Contract Expiry | Weekly Salary |
|---------------------|-----------------|---------------|
| Mo Salah | 2027 | $640,000 |
| Virgil van Dijk| 2027 | $540,000 |
| Alexander Isak | 2031 | $400,000 |
| Ryan Gravenberch|2032 | $372,000 |
| Florian Wirtz | 2030 | $330,000 |
| Ibrahima Konaté|2026 | $199,000 |
(Figures reported and converted to dollars)
Liverpool's not skimping, but they're not handing out blank cheques either. Talks are dragging like a midweek cup tie, echoing last year's marathons with Salah, Van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Suitors Vanish and 'We' Vibes Emerge
The transfer grapevine's gone quiet on Konaté's front. Bayern Munich? Out, thanks to Dayot Upamecano signing on the dotted line. PSG? Barely whispering interest. Real Madrid? Pulled the plug back in November.
His options thinning faster than a bald patch at a stag do. And then there's his recent chinwag with ESPN. Dropping the 'we' bomb: "We bring new players, we will adapt... we will win the Premier League or Champions League." Sounds like a lad planning to stick around for the rebuild after this bumpy 2025-26.
"This is just part of the success," he added, urging everyone to chill with those "amazing fans." Arne Slot's crew needs stability at the back, and with Van Dijk's future also in flux, Konaté jumping ship would be madness.
It's not done and dusted yet – these things love a last-minute twist. But the tea leaves say Anfield loyalty wins out. Keep an eye on this one, lads; could be the glue holding that defence together come next season.