Liverpool hurtling towards losing Ibou Konate for free as David Ornstein shares worrying update | OneFootball

Ibrahima Konate is now into the final 50 days of his current contract at Liverpool, and we’re no closer to knowing whether or not he’ll still be at Anfield next season.

The Frenchman’s future has been the subject of much speculation over the past few months as his existing deal ticks ever closer towards expiry, and a decsion will need to be made one way or another in the next seven weeks.

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There have been conflicting reports as to the likelihood of the 26-year-old remaining with the Reds, although he strongly hinted at a renewal last month when he said that he and the club were ‘close to an agreement’.

Ornstein: Konate contract talks ‘still at a stalemate’

However, speaking to NBC Sports on Monday evening, David Ornstein claimed that Konate’s future remains uncertain, with talks over a new contract still at an impasse as the 30 June expiry date looms ever larger.

The Athletic journalist said: “One of the uncertain situations at Liverpool involves Ibrahima Konate, who is out of contract at the end of this season.

“As I understand it, the situation is still at a stalemate, and it’s not looking particularly positive; although until either side walks away, there is still hope that it could reach a positive conclusion for him to stay at Anfield.”

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Losing Konate on a free would be negligent from Liverpool

We know from previous case studies (e.g. Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk last year) that contract negotiations are anything but straightforward, but for Konate’s deal to get this close to expiring with no imminent sign of a breakthrough is worrying.

At least Ornstein’s suggestion that neither side has ‘walked away’ indicates that all parties involved are keen on finding a resolution – it just seems to be taking an inordinately long time for an agreement to be reached.

As it stands, Liverpool will lose a first-team regular and a Premier League winner in the prime of his career on a free transfer in seven weeks’ time. That sentence should serve as a damning indictment of the decision-making process at Anfield.

It’s fair to claim that Konate’s performances this season have been all too erratic, even when accounting for the personal grief of losing his father in January, but seeing him walk out the door without reaping a fee would be negligent in the extreme.

The Reds may have two gifted young centre-backs for the long-term in Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet, but they also need experienced heads to help guide that duo along.

Unless Richard Hughes can sort out a new contract for our number 5, he’ll have to go into the market for another defender in the summer to replaced one that Liverpool would lose on a free.