Arsenal and Chelsea are reportedly plotting a swoop to sign Liverpool star Ibrahima Konate, as per transfer journalist Graeme Bailey.
Since moving to Anfield from RB Leipzig back in 2021, the Frenchman has been an integral part of the Reds’ recent success, winning a Premier League trophy and a few domestic cup competitions.
Konate guided the Merseyside club to reach the final of the Champions League in the 2021/22 season under former manager Jurgen Klopp. Unfortunately, they lost the game to Real Madrid despite displaying an impressive performance.
The 26-year-old has continued to play a key role in Arne Slot’s starting line-up this season. However, speculation surrounding his future has begun to emerge in recent months, as his existing deal is set to expire at the end of this season.
It has been reported that the Merseyside club have been struggling to agree on a fresh term with him. On TBR Football, Bailey says that Arsenal and Chelsea have been monitoring his situation closely, and they have been made aware through intermediaries that the defender could leave next summer.
Apart from the Premier League duo, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are also in this race. However, Liverpool are confident that they will be able to tie him down to a fresh term over the coming months.
Battle
Konate isn’t pushing to leave Anfield at the moment, but his agent and intermediaries have started exploring options for him should he eventually leave next year.
Arsenal decided to reinforce the defensive department by signing Piero Hincapié and Cristhian Mosquera this summer. Following that, Mikel Arteta currently has a well-resourced defensive department.
On the other hand, Chelsea lack qualities in the centre-back position and following Levi Colwill’s serious knee injury, the Blues need a new top-class defender.
Konate is a 6ft 5in tall centre-back and has proven his worth in the Premier League in recent years. So, he would be a great coup for Arsenal or Chelsea should either club purchase him.
However, the West London club are in more need of a new centre-back than the North London club. Nevertheless, it is going to be interesting to see what the future holds for Konate.
