"We are in talks" - Arne Slot provides huge update on Ibrahima Konate's future | OneFootball

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has made it clear that the Reds are in talks over keeping Ibrahima Konate at the club with a new contract.

There’s not long left on Konate’s current Reds deal as he edges closer to becoming a free agent this summer, and fans will surely have been losing hope that he could still stay at Anfield.

Still, Slot has suggested that Liverpool are still trying and that they remain determined to persuade Konate to stay where he is.

Arne Slot on Ibrahima Konate’s Liverpool future

See below for the Dutch tactician’s quotes on the France international, which come not long after Virgil van Dijk also urged him to stay…

“We are in talks with Ibou Konaté over new deal… so that tells you what we want,” Slot said.

“It’s clear we would like him to stay, negotiations are ongoing, let’s see where that ends. We wouldn’t be in negotiations if we didn’t want him to stay!”

That certainly sounds encouraging for LFC, despite previous reports from the Athletic that there had still been no breakthrough in negotiations.

Ibrahima Konate in action for Liverpool (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Ibrahima Konate is crucial for Liverpool

Konate has been a key player for Liverpool in recent years, and it now seems more vital than ever for them to keep hold of him.

With Virgil van Dijk not getting any younger and surely set for a reduced role in the not-too-distant future, Konate could replace him as the senior figure in this Liverpool defence.

The Merseyside giants will likely also need signings at the back to help strengthen in that department, but keeping an experienced figure like Konate around would undoubtedly be a big help instead of having to make multiple new signings in that area and expecting them to all gel quickly.