England international agrees to join Liverpool | OneFootball

Liverpool are facing a contract problem with Ibrahima Konate. The French defender is out of contract in 2026 and if no agreement over a new deal is reached then he will be leaving on a free next summer.

That would be a bitter blow for sporting director Richard Hughes - with the Reds having invested around £35m in Konate back in 2021.

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The 26-year-old joined from RB Leipzig but it was only last season that he truly emerged as a world-class talent alongside Virgil van Dijk.

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With so much uncertainty over Konate - who has been mentioned as a potential sale this summer if no contract is signed - it’s no wonder Liverpool are considering alternatives.

Liverpool linked with Marc Guehi

Although the club signed Giovanni Leoni for £26m from Parma last week, it remains to be seen just how much football the 18-year-old gets through in his rookie season.

Accordingly, senior options have been discussed and Marc Guehi looks the ideal candidate in that respect. Like Konate, the Crystal Palace captain is out of contract in 2026 and he too could be departing on a free.

Of course Palace are against that idea and if a team comes up with the asking price during this transfer window - said to be £40m - then he too would be on his way.

Guehi pledges to join ONLY Liverpool

Liverpool seem content to wait although expect them to strike if they get the idea that a deal is in reach before the end of the window.

Now according to the Athletic, the Reds have got one less thing to worry about. That’s because Guehi has assured the Reds that it’s Anfield or nothing - and that he is currently NOT interested in a move elsewhere.

The 25-year-old England international has earmarked a move ONLY to the Premier League champions.

© IMAGO - Marc Guehi Liverpool

Guehi has eyes only for Liverpool

"If he leaves Palace now, Guehi only has eyes for Liverpool, who believe they already possess four elite central defenders, so are not expected to seek an alternative if they fail to land the 25-year-old,” the report reads.

This stance would appear to tally with other reports concerning the former Chelsea player. Liverpool can be optimistic of landing Guehi for around £40m this summer or else bringing him in on a free in 2026.

He may well be a replacement for Konate in time - should the Frenchman fail to renew his deal - but having lost Jarell Quansah and given Joe Gomez’s injury record, Arne Slot could do a lot worse than add centre-back depth.