Arne Slot drops ‘giveaway clue’ Liverpool will get France int’l to sign at Anfield | OneFootball

A trusted reporter who specialises in covering Liverpool has pointed to recent comments made by Arne Slot that suggest a deal the Reds are ‘desperate’ to seal will be finalised.

Liverpool already have their first signing of the summer wrapped up, with Jeremy Jacquet arriving from Rennes in a deal worth £55m plus £5m in add-ons. However, that by no means closes the door with regards to further movement in Arne Slot’s centre-back corps.

Liverpool’s plans may wind up being dictated by what happens with Jacquet’s fellow Frenchman, Ibrahima Konate.

As it stands, the 26-year-old is tracking towards free agency, with his current contract expiring in the summer.

Liverpool have tried and failed on multiple occasions to convince Konate to put pen to paper. Initial efforts first begun back in late-2024 and continue to this day.

Interest from Real Madrid has come and gone, with Los Blancos reportedly now pursuing Nico Schlotterbeck of Borussia Dortmund instead.

And according to the Daily Mail’s Merseyside correspondent, Lewis Steele, recent comments made by Slot point towards a breakthrough at Anfield and Konate agreeing to extend his stay.

A fortnight ago, the Reds boss explained: “We are in talks with him (Konate) so that tells you what we want.

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

And according to Steele, the mere fact Slot was willing to publicly talk about Konate’s contract situation is a ‘giveaway clue’ there’s light at the end of the tunnel and a deal will be agreed.

Steele made that assessment after highlighting Slot always refused to talk about the contract situations of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah last season, at least until a decision was close, and in those two instances, the players signed extensions.

The Mail reporter explained: ‘We do not fully know where Konate’s head is in this saga – but it is clear he loves the club and enjoys his life at Liverpool.

‘Real Madrid had posted an interest earlier in the season but that seems to have cooled.

‘Konate is crucial to Liverpool, though, and with Virgil van Dijk turning 35 in the summer, he could be the bridge between the present and future at the club with young Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni, 20 and 19 respectively, both primed as long-term defensive options.

‘There was also a heart-warming moment on Sunday at Nottingham Forest where Konate gave a journalist his match-worn shirt as a gesture of gratitude for some dates, a popular snack with Muslims after breaking their Ramadan fasts.

‘No concrete updates have been offered in 2026 but he is certainly not a clear-cut candidate for leaving Liverpool as he may have been.

‘Even Slot openly discussing the club’s desire to keep him was telling – he did not do that with Salah or Van Dijk last year until new deals were close to being signed.

‘Just like the hierarchy did not panic about Slot’s future based on a few bad months, the club would not have let a tough start to the season cloud their judgment on Konate. They, rightly so, are desperate for him to renew.’

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