Liverpool

Liverpool

Premier League • England

Liverpool cause for alarm as Euro giants plot swoop for regular starter who’s mutually interested in move

Ibrahima Konate with text reading "tempted to leave" next to the Liverpool badge

Could Konate quit Liverpool this summer?

Liverpool are at risk of another significant player exit in the summer for a player still under contract after Paris Saint-Germain emerged as a tempting suitor for Ibrahima Konate, according to reports.

Liverpool are of course preoccupied with the futures of their three out-of-contract players – Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk – at the moment, but a big decision needs to be made about Konate’s future as well.

Indeed, the centre-back is now in the final 18 months of his Anfield deal. Therefore, Liverpool are starting to be at risk of losing Konate for a cut-price fee in the summer – or even for nothing in 2026.

And according to an update from ESPN, PSG are eager to sign Konate in the summer as they seek the perfect partner – and eventual successor – for captain Marquinhos.

More worryingly, the report claims Konate ‘is interested in a move to the Ligue 1 club’, who are his hometown team.

French reporter Julien Laurens writes that Konate ‘is tempted’ to move back to the French capital, after previously developing in the Paris FC academy but never being on PSG’s books.

There is no indication yet of how much PSG might be willing to pay for Konate, nor what Liverpool’s asking price would be. The Reds are interested in adding a new centre-back themselves, coincidentally.

GO FURTHERThe FOUR Liverpool players out of contract in 2026: Keep or sell?

Will Konate sign new Liverpool contract?

Murmurs of interest from PSG should serve as a wake-up call to Liverpool that they need to tie Konate down soon if they want to keep the 25-year-old for the long term.

Last month, Konate confirmed he had been offered a new deal, but gave no clue as to whether he was going to reach an agreement or not.

“I spoke with the club. I think I am really focused on what happens now. We will see what will happen,” Konate said.

“Yes [I have been offered a deal]. This is another conversation [whether I am close to signing].”

Konate and Van Dijk have been Liverpool’s regular starters at centre-back since Arne Slot took charge. The risk of losing them both in the same summer would be worrying.

However, there is confidence that Van Dijk will put pen to paper on a new deal at Anfield.

Konate’s future is perhaps less clear-cut. Back in 2023, he refused to rule out a future move to PSG.

“To say no would be to lie,” he replied to a question about if he would ever join PSG.

“PSG has made sure to recruit players who get along well and who play in the French team together.

“And even for the people and the Parisian fans, it makes them happy, it’s what they had been waiting for for years, to have Parisians or at least French players in the team.”

On the flipside, Fabrizio Romano was reporting just a few months ago that Liverpool’s talks with Konate over a new deal were at an advanced stage.

In terms of the latest update, it should be considered that Laurens is a PSG supporter, which may have some sway over the angle of his report, but he is a respect-worthy source on French football, so there could well be something behind the scenes at the Parc des Princes.

Liverpool latest: Alisson sale? Salah clue?

Another regular starter Liverpool may have to make a decision about is Alisson Becker.

Sources have told TEAMtalk’s Rudy Galetti that a sale of the goalkeeper can’t be completely ruled out due to the impending arrival of Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia.

And Alisson has a preference in mind over his potential next destination if he surprisingly does have to leave Liverpool.

Meanwhile, Salah’s agent has offered a rare potential hint over the winger’s future at Liverpool as the end of his contract approaches.

In other news, sources have told TEAMtalk’s Fraser Fletcher that Newcastle striker Alexander Isak would be interested in a move to Liverpool.