After a disappointing Premier League title defence, Liverpool have moved to bolster their squad ahead of next season by lining up what could prove to be the English top flight’s first major summer signing.
The Athletic can exclusively reveal the club are in the process of finalising a deal to bring the RB Leipzig and France youth international centre-back Ibrahima Konate to Merseyside.
The situation is already said to be at an advanced stage and, if everything goes to plan, it would enable Konate to be added to Liverpool’s ranks at the soonest opportunity, which may prove all the more valuable for them in a summer featuring the delayed European Championship.
Although there is still work to be done and there are other suitors, sources in Germany indicate that Liverpool have made significant progress on a player seen as key to their recruitment plans.
With Leipzig under no pressure to sell, it is anticipated that any buyer will have to pay the 21-year-old’s release clause — thought to be around €40 million — rather than negotiating a lower price.
The Bundesliga side are believed to be aware of interest in Konate but, if Liverpool choose to activate the mechanism in his contract, then talks would not be needed between the two parties.
Konate joined Leipzig from Sochaux in June 2017 on a five-year contract. Despite injuries limiting him to fewer than 100 appearances for Leipzig, he is among the most promising talents in his position and has attracted interest from a number of high-profile suitors.
Currently with France at the European Under-21 European Championship in Hungary and Slovenia, the 6ft 4in defender was an unused substitute in his country’s 1-0 defeat by Denmark in their opening fixture on Thursday while he played 90 minutes in a 2-0 win over Russia last night.
Liverpool’s campaign has been ravaged by injuries — most notably to Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip at the heart of their back line — and that appears to have intensified their pursuit.
Reinforcements came during the January transfer window in the form of Ben Davies permanently from Preston and Schalke’s Ozan Kabak on loan with an option to buy. Davies has yet to feature and a decision must be reached on whether Kabak will be purchased for £18 million plus add-ons.
Even before their raft of problems, Liverpool had been expected to enter the market for a central defender at the end of 2020-21 and were heavily linked with Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano. But with Upamecano heading to Bayern Munich, his colleague Konate emerged as their primary target as the six-time European champions seek to strengthen in a vital area.
Given his Bundesliga and Champions League experience, Konate would be expected to challenge Liverpool’s existing options for a starting place immediately but there is also huge appeal in the long-term potential he offers.
There are no specified return dates for Van Dijk, Gomez or Matip, and the trio are all under contract until June 2023 or 2024. Two makeshift alternatives — Fabinho and Jordan Henderson — have suffered from injury problems of their own and are also tied down through to 2023.
Following the sale of Dejan Loven last July without a replacement being sourced, Klopp has also utilised homegrown pair Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams in recent months.
Leipzig have prepared for Upamecano’s exit by acquiring Mohamed Simakan of Strasbourg, while securing Josko Gvardiol from Dinamo Zagreb last September provides further cover if Konate departs as well.
The German side are becoming renowned for doing their business early, with Dominik Szoboszlai landed in advance of the January window and Brian Brobbey on course to arrive as a free agent.
The Athletic can exclusively reveal the club are in the process of finalising a deal to bring the RB Leipzig and France youth international centre-back Ibrahima Konate to Merseyside.
The situation is already said to be at an advanced stage and, if everything goes to plan, it would enable Konate to be added to Liverpool’s ranks at the soonest opportunity, which may prove all the more valuable for them in a summer featuring the delayed European Championship.
Although there is still work to be done and there are other suitors, sources in Germany indicate that Liverpool have made significant progress on a player seen as key to their recruitment plans.
With Leipzig under no pressure to sell, it is anticipated that any buyer will have to pay the 21-year-old’s release clause — thought to be around €40 million — rather than negotiating a lower price.
The Bundesliga side are believed to be aware of interest in Konate but, if Liverpool choose to activate the mechanism in his contract, then talks would not be needed between the two parties.
Konate joined Leipzig from Sochaux in June 2017 on a five-year contract. Despite injuries limiting him to fewer than 100 appearances for Leipzig, he is among the most promising talents in his position and has attracted interest from a number of high-profile suitors.
Currently with France at the European Under-21 European Championship in Hungary and Slovenia, the 6ft 4in defender was an unused substitute in his country’s 1-0 defeat by Denmark in their opening fixture on Thursday while he played 90 minutes in a 2-0 win over Russia last night.
Liverpool’s campaign has been ravaged by injuries — most notably to Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip at the heart of their back line — and that appears to have intensified their pursuit.
Reinforcements came during the January transfer window in the form of Ben Davies permanently from Preston and Schalke’s Ozan Kabak on loan with an option to buy. Davies has yet to feature and a decision must be reached on whether Kabak will be purchased for £18 million plus add-ons.
Even before their raft of problems, Liverpool had been expected to enter the market for a central defender at the end of 2020-21 and were heavily linked with Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano. But with Upamecano heading to Bayern Munich, his colleague Konate emerged as their primary target as the six-time European champions seek to strengthen in a vital area.
Given his Bundesliga and Champions League experience, Konate would be expected to challenge Liverpool’s existing options for a starting place immediately but there is also huge appeal in the long-term potential he offers.
There are no specified return dates for Van Dijk, Gomez or Matip, and the trio are all under contract until June 2023 or 2024. Two makeshift alternatives — Fabinho and Jordan Henderson — have suffered from injury problems of their own and are also tied down through to 2023.
Following the sale of Dejan Loven last July without a replacement being sourced, Klopp has also utilised homegrown pair Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams in recent months.
Leipzig have prepared for Upamecano’s exit by acquiring Mohamed Simakan of Strasbourg, while securing Josko Gvardiol from Dinamo Zagreb last September provides further cover if Konate departs as well.
The German side are becoming renowned for doing their business early, with Dominik Szoboszlai landed in advance of the January window and Brian Brobbey on course to arrive as a free agent.
