Report: Liverpool eyeing move to sign 25-year-old Premier League star | OneFootball

Liverpool Eye Ideal Successor to Konate as Contract Clock Ticks

Credit to TeamTalk for highlighting what could be one of Liverpool’s most significant defensive dilemmas in years. Ibrahima Konate, once seen as Virgil van Dijk’s long-term partner, is reportedly edging closer to an exit with his contract due to expire at the end of the season. Real Madrid are said to be circling, and after the Trent Alexander-Arnold saga, nobody at Anfield will feel confident about history not repeating itself.

Konate Conundrum and Squad Implications

Konate has been a high-level performer under Arne Slot, offering pace, recovery runs and strength in duels. However, the concern around his build-up play is fair.

Photo: IMAGO

If Konate departs, Liverpool would be left thin. Marc Guehi was targeted in the summer to boost depth, yet even his signing would not solve the issue alone. Liverpool will require not only a replacement in profile, but an upgrade in distribution from deep.

Van Hecke’s Rise Makes Him a Natural Fit

Enter Jan Paul van Hecke. TEAMtalk reported last month that Liverpool held interest, and the numbers back up the logic. Van Hecke wouldn’tt just replace Konate, he would elevate Liverpool’s build-up phase.

Timing Matters as Slot Looks Ahead

Van Dijk remains an elite presence, but he will need a successor partnership built on progression rather than retreat. Slot’s style rewards defenders who can act as playmakers. Van Hecke is 25, Premier League-proven and tactically bold in possession.

Liverpool have a decision to make soon, and delaying could allow rivals to pounce.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

Tthe logic behind Van Hecke is exciting. Konate has been excellent on his day, but supporters have grown frustrated by his growing injury record and occasional lapses when pressed in tight build-up sequences. Slot wants total control, especially at Anfield where teams sit deep and force Liverpool to unlock low blocks from the back. Van Hecke could transform that dynamic.

His stats scream proactivity. Imagine Van Dijk spraying diagonals on one side with Van Hecke threading vertical passes through midfield on the other. Suddenly, Liverpool are unpredictable. It is also refreshing to see Liverpool linked with a player already experienced in aggressive systems at Brighton, rather than a Bundesliga or Eredivisie gamble.

If Real Madrid want Konate, let them. Liverpool should extract a premium fee and reinvest smartly. Supporters would demand that Guehi arrives as depth and Van Hecke as the starting right-sided defender. It would not feel like a step backward, it would feel like modernisation. One thing is certain — under Slot, ball progression is not optional. Van Hecke fits that vision perfectly.