David Ornstein: Liverpool Weighs Up Big Contract Decision This Summer | OneFootball

Konaté Contract Could Shape Liverpool’s Summer Strategy

Long-Term Planning at Centre-Back

There’s something quietly foundational about a club choosing to renew the contracts of its core players before addressing any external recruitment. That’s what Liverpool appear to be doing. After tying down Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk, David Ornstein of The Athletic now suggests another extension could be on the horizon: Ibrahima Konaté.

“Don’t forget the extensions of Salah and Van Dijk come at a significant cost,” Ornstein writes, “and there may be others to follow, like Konaté if an agreement can be reached.”

At 25, Konaté has long been viewed as a player with the potential to anchor Liverpool’s defence for years to come. Powerful, composed and tactically aware, he has grown into a figure of authority at the back when fit.

Financial Flexibility or Foresight?

The timing of this potential new deal raises important questions about Liverpool’s finances. Extending Salah and Van Dijk was never going to be cheap. Now, with Konaté reportedly seeking a 40% pay rise, another significant wage commitment looms.

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If Liverpool are indeed reluctant to spend big in the transfer market this summer, as Ornstein implies, prioritising internal deals over external ones begins to make more sense.

Trent’s Madrid Move Casts a Long Shadow

What clouds this optimism slightly is Trent Alexander-Arnold. His exit to Real Madrid on a free transfer—when completed—will sting, not just for what it represents in terms of lost talent, but for what it communicates: players now hold the power.

That precedent puts added pressure on Liverpool to act decisively with Konaté. Delay too long and the defender, like Trent, may start to wonder whether his prime years would be better served elsewhere. With interest from Europe’s elite never far away, loyalty must be matched by investment.

The Konaté Conundrum

The dilemma here is not unfamiliar. Do Liverpool reward a defender whose potential is unquestionable but whose injury record is slightly concerning? Or do they risk alienating one of their few world-class assets?

Ornstein’s tease of an extension offers hope. It suggests Liverpool are aware of the need to retain quality while keeping a close eye on finances. But this is a delicate moment. Every decision this summer, whether it’s a contract signed or a transfer forgone, speaks to the club’s wider philosophy.

Securing Konaté on a new deal would be more than just another retention—it would be a statement of intent that the club’s future still starts from the back.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

There’s something reassuring about seeing Liverpool try to lock down key players like Konaté. Fans remember how vital stability was during the title-winning seasons—when the likes of Van Dijk, Alisson, and Fabinho created a platform for everything else to flourish. Konaté, when fit, looks cut from that same cloth.

But the Trent Alexander-Arnold situation changes the mood. Letting one of your own walk away, especially to Real Madrid, on a free, is a bitter pill to swallow. If Konaté is allowed to feel undervalued or dragged into drawn-out negotiations, the club risk losing not just a player but momentum.

Yes, a 40% pay rise is steep—but in today’s market, it’s probably fair value for a centre-back of his calibre. And with the likes of Real & PSG always watching, it’s a risk to stall.

This isn’t just about Konaté. It’s about setting the tone under Arne Slot. Will Liverpool reward their best and build smartly, or watch more assets slip through their fingers?