Konaté Concerns Grow as Liverpool Weigh Up Moves for Hato and Huijsen | OneFootball

Liverpool, Chelsea and the Battle for Centre-Back Brilliance: Hato, Huijsen and the Contract Conundrum

Contract Decisions Defining Liverpool’s Summer

On the latest Transfer Show, Dave Davis didn’t pull any punches when it came to the future of Liverpool’s defensive structure, especially with the precarious state of Ibrahima Konaté’s contract. “I love Ibou, I want him to stay, I want him to renew,” Davis insisted, before revealing his core concern: “My worry is this is advancing towards one in, one out – like a dodgy nightclub type of situation.”

With suggestions from Paul Joyce that talks with Konaté “don’t appear particularly advanced,” and Dean Huijsen’s name increasingly mentioned, the direction of Liverpool’s central defence appears to hinge on contract clarity. As Davis put it, “The drop-off right now between the two is big for me.”

The underlying issue, Davis added, may come down to Liverpool’s financial threshold. “This could be the contract till the suits die on… they can’t just keep giving everyone almost a deal and we keep busting and busting that.” He went further: “They’ll know the implications of that when they’re trying to negotiate this contract with Conor Bradley.”

Hato and Huijsen: Big Decisions, Big Talent

Amidst the uncertainty around Konaté, Liverpool’s attention is seemingly drawn to the emerging centre-back market, with both Jorrel Hato and Dean Huijsen featuring heavily in recent scouting conversations. But there’s competition. “Chelsea are in for Hato and Huijsen,” Davis confirmed, before revealing a twist. “They [Chelsea] think they’re almost out the race for Huijsen… they think it’s Liverpool and Arsenal if it’s Premier League for Huijsen.”

That would be a significant boost for Liverpool, but Davis warned: “Don’t be surprised if Chelsea move hard for Hato. They’ve pivoted already.” While Liverpool seem to favour Huijsen, Davis admitted the club’s internal analysis suggests Hato may be “a bit too soon to bring straight into our lineup.”

With centre-backs developing later and pressure mounting around potential departures, Davis made it clear: “I think we need another fifth experienced centre-half who we can plug and play straight away… otherwise, it’s a bit of a worry.”

Chelsea’s Transfer Shadow: Familiar Names, Familiar Tactics

Davis didn’t shy away from the increasingly common overlap between Chelsea and Liverpool’s transfer targets. “Everything that we’re doing almost seems a little bit intertwined with Chelsea,” he observed, “I never thought I’d say this – I think Sweeney Todd is copying Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards’ homework.”

Liverpool fans will remember many transfer sagas with Chelsea. Davis added an intriguing anecdote: “Chelsea went in for Van Dijk… and we were just like, ‘Go away.’” The refusal, delivered with satisfying bluntness, was met with glee on the show: “That was brilliant to hear… just because of who it is and who the player is.”

Still, the rivalry doesn’t stop there. “Jamie Gittens – Chelsea are in, but Liverpool are watching closely too,” Davis confirmed. That competition is set to intensify if prices fall within Liverpool’s ‘sweet spot.’

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

Dave Davis’ key message was clear: Liverpool can’t afford another summer of dithering. Whether it’s Huijsen or Hato, the Konaté decision is pivotal. Letting the Frenchman walk due to wage limitations, only to thrust a raw replacement like Huijsen into the cauldron, would be a high-risk move.

And with Chelsea looming large, boasting financial bravado and long-term contracts that Liverpool won’t match, it’s a fight that won’t wait for internal harmony.

As Davis concluded, “The easiest option is just get Ibou renewed – and then everyone’s happy. But I am worried this is the one that the line is drawn on.”