Liverpool forced into blockbuster double-transfer on eve of World Cup | OneFootball

Liverpool are being forced into something crazy. The Reds are in a dangerous position and they've got to get things right.

Liverpool will lose Ibrahima Konate this summer with the Frenchman's contract expiring. No agreement on a new one has been found and that's the end of the road for Konate at Anfield.

It's a blow. A massive one, in fact - Konate is a starting centre-back for the Reds, after all. Liverpool now move forward in a difficult position, without really any defenders in the prime of their career.

Well, other than Joe Gomez. The centre-back is now 29 and coming out of his prime, but he's still the closest Liverpool have to a 'prime' player in the role.

Only, it's also expected that Liverpool will lose Gomez as he only has a year remaining on his contract. He's been linked with a move to Aston Villa among others, having nearly left in both 2024 and 2025.

His departure would then leave Liverpool with three centre-backs: a 35-year-old Virgil van Dijk, a 20-year-old Jeremy Jacquet, and a 19-year-old Giovanni Leoni.

Leoni, however, is coming off a serious knee injury that ended his season prematurely. Jacquet is coming off shoulder surgery and an unknown quantity at Liverpool.

It seems unlikely, then, that Gomez would be allowed to leave without a replacement. Especially given how often he plays at right-back, too.

But Konate also needs replacing. Suddenly Liverpool are looking at two signings at centre-back if they truly don't want to keep Gomez for another year.

It's difficult to see how they can realistically pull that off. Losing Konate has created a severe problem at the heart of defence and there's simply no easy way out of it.

Ibrahima Konate: Situation Summary

Anfield Departure Confirmed

As of 29 May 2026, Ibrahima Konaté is officially set to leave Liverpool as a free agent when his contract expires at the end of June. Despite the 27-year-old French defender publicly stating in April that a contract renewal was close, talks between his representatives and sporting director Richard Hughes have completely broken down over wage valuation. Having joined from RB Leipzig for £35 million in 2021, Konaté finishes a five-year Anfield stay that included a Premier League title, making his final appearance in Sunday's 1–1 draw against Brentford.

Future Destinations

The powerhouse centre-back's availability on a free transfer has alerted Europe's elite. Reports indicate Konaté heavily favours a move to La Liga, though a return to his hometown with Paris Saint-Germain remains a strong possibility. He has also been named in the France squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup.