Ibrahima Konate leaving Anfield this summer: Who replaces the duel-dominant star in Liverpool’s defence? | OneFootball

Ibrahima Konate is set to leave Liverpool after failing to agree a new contract at Anfield.

The France international's deal is due to expire this summer and no agreement has been reached on an extension.

Talks are now understood to have ended, withKonate set to leave on a free transfer. It leaves Liverpool light in central defence, with Virgil van Dijk set to turn 35 this summer, and Joe Gomez's future uncertain.

Giovanni Leoni and imminent arrival Jeremy Jacquet offer alternatives, but both are inexperienced and coming off serious injuries. We've looked at how Liverpool could look to replace Konate.

What did Konate bring?

First and foremost, Konate is an elite duel-winner. A formidable physical presence, Konate ranked in the top 10% of centre-backs for duels won, percentage of duels, aerial duels won, and percentage of aerial duels won. With strength, recovery pace, and ability in the air, the Frenchman's fundamentals made him a good complement to Virgil van Dijk.

Konate also ranks well when it comes to carries, tackles and clearances, but falls short when it comes to distribution. While the raw data for pass completion looks ok, Konate's 45.8% completion for long passes indicate his limitations.

As a result, Konate was often allowed possession by opposition sides, confident that his passing range would not break lines. The departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold impacted Liverpool's build-up from the back, an issue Slot may try to address with a potential centre-back signing.

Potential replacements for Ibrahima Konate at Liverpool

Jeremy Jacquet

Liverpool agreed a £60m deal to sign Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes in January, with the 20-year-old to link up with the Reds this summer. A serious shoulder injury is not the ideal preparation for a high-profilePremier League move, but there is optimism the Frenchman will be available for day one of pre-season.

Stylistically, Jacquet compares well to Konate. Though his defensive duel win rate was significantly lower, the centre-back did excel in the air. Jacquet ranked in the top four percent of defenders in Europe for percentage of aerial battles won, and in the top 25% for forward pass completion and possessions won.

Maxence Lacroix

Maxence Lacroix is reportedly ready to leave Crystal Palace this summer. The French defender has been a cornerstone of the Eagles' recent success, winning the FA Cup, Community Shield andEuropa Conference League over the last 12 months. With ambitions to become a regular with France, the 26-year-old is targeting Champions League football.

Lacroix lacks the aerial dominance of Konate, but outperformed his compatriot for possessions won (89th percentile) and defensive duel win percentage (90th percentile). His explosive pace would be an astute addition alongside Van Dijk, though he has featured predominantly in a back three in South London.

Jan Paul van Hecke

A completely different profile, but one that Arne Slot could be tempted to pursue. Van Hecke has cemented a reputation as one of the best progressive defenders in the Premier League.

The Brighton centre-back ranks among the top 10% of defenders in Europe for progressive carries and progressive passes, while he also scores well for passes completed (85th percentile), percentage of defensive duels won (77th percentile) and percentage of forward passes completed (78th percentile).

There would be concerns over his aerial presence, but with Van Dijk and Jacquet as potential partners, that weakness could be covered. Van Hecke could join a large Dutch contingent at Anfield, alongside Slot, Van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo and Jeremie Frimpong.