Dave Davis on Konate negotiations: “… this could be the contract hill the suits die on.” | OneFootball

Liverpool Transfers and Contracts: What Comes Next?

Trent Alexander-Arnold Exit Talk Grows Louder

Downey didn’t hold back. “He could have made some sort of a sop to the fans,” he remarked about Trent’s Sky Sports interview. “It’s not a noble stance what he’s doing.” The mood around Trent’s post-match comments was sceptical at best. To Downey, the signals were not mixed—they were clear. “He didn’t even try to hide that… he’s about to jog on to Real Madrid.”

Dave Davis echoed that conviction: “It’s done. It’s absolutely over for me.”

The pair’s analysis underlined how contract silence can speak volumes. As Downey pointed out, even Van Dijk’s words came across like a farewell: “I didn’t realise Virgil van Dijk had taken out an obituary in the Times for Trent Alexander-Arnold, but there you go.”

Curtis Jones, Contracts and Cautionary Optics

Curtis Jones’s situation is a different kind of complexity. Davis confirmed: “He’s turned down a first offer.” Downey noted the player’s visible discontent: “He was certainly not happy at full time as he trudges off the pitch without recognising anyone.”

What struck Downey was the optics: Curtis, a lifelong Liverpool fan, watching chants of “the Scouser in our team” being directed at someone potentially on the way out. “It’s going to stick in the craw of any lad, but especially a Liverpool lad,” he observed.

There’s a discomfort in the disconnect between squad status and supporter sentiment—especially when newer signings underperform and local players sit on the bench.

Konate’s Future and the Financial Wall

The situation surrounding Ibrahima Konaté also points to deeper club strategy. Paul Joyce’s report, stating talks were “not particularly advanced,” raised eyebrows. Davis spelled out the stakes: “To go from £80k to £200k a week… they can’t just keep busting everyone.”

Downey elaborated with a sharp analogy: “If they do die on that hill… we’re left with Quansah, who the manager might not be 100% on, and Joe Gomez, who can’t keep himself fit. That is not tenable.”

What’s becoming clearer is the club’s reluctance to inflate contracts across the board. Davis warned: “It feels like this could be the contract hill the suits die on.”

Photo: IMAGO

More Movement, More Uncertainty

With potential departures on the horizon, reinforcements are required, but the strategy remains cautious. “It should be a positive with Huijsen coming in,” Davis said, “but if Ibu goes, the pressure ramps up on that kid straight away.”

Downey summed up the urgency: “The more continuity we have, the better—especially with really fantastic footballers like Ibu Konaté.”

At Liverpool, contracts are no longer just a question of value—they’re a negotiation with long-term implications. As the window edges open, the sense isn’t just of deals being made, but of thresholds being tested. Both hosts agree: it’s not just who comes in, but how the club manages who might go.