Detail emerges over ‘dissatisfaction’ driving irritated Liverpool target to exit

Amadou Haidara, Ibrahima Konate, Nordi Mukiele, Emil Forsberg, RB Leipzig

RB Leipzig defender Ibrahima Konate’s frustrations over his bit-part role are making a summer transfer to Liverpool ‘more conceivable’, a report claims.

Liverpool have earmarked a central defender signing as a key priority ahead of the summer window. Injuries have decimated the Reds’ ranks, with all three senior centre-halves only returning next season. As such, one target on the club’s radar is Ozan Kabak, who arrived at Anfield on loan in January.

Indeed, France Under-21 star Konate is also a consideration for Anfield chiefs.

Reports on Monday claimed that the Reds have entered ‘advanced’ talks to sign the 21-year-old.

The player then responded by claiming that he received countless phone calls throughout the day. More crucially, though, he insisted that his sole focus was on helping his country during the international break.

Nevertheless, fresh reports from Sky Germany have claimed that Liverpool have not yet made a ‘concrete offer’ to Leipzig.

However, the source adds that Konate is edging closer to a summer transfer due to his ‘dissatisfaction’.

The defender has suffered two injuries this season, ruling him out of 10 Bundesliga matches.

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Aside from his time out, though, he has spent seven other matches on the substitutes’ bench.

Therefore, the report claims that he is growing frustrated with his lack of action and a ‘summer change’ is ‘quite conceivable’.

In fact, further reports have claimed that the player has undergone part of a medical for his switch to Liverpool.

Konate has a €40million (£34million) release clause in his Leipzig contract, which runs out in 2023.

Konate agent expecting busy summer

Meanwhile, Konate’s agent – who works with a host of top footballing stars – says that he is expecting “three or four” of his clients to be the subjects of big deals this summer.

“I’m expecting three or four very big deals of my own that will break a lot of records. Hopefully, they’ll come about,” Jonathan Barnett told The Athletic.

“For the smaller clubs, I think there won’t be as many transfers. We have some very good players.

“We have probably the best young player in the world in (Eduardo) Camavinga. We’ve got (Jack) Grealish. We’ve got Konate at Leipzig. But then I’ve got over 100 players.”

READ MORE: Liverpool target Konate namechecked by his agent who is ‘expecting very big deals’