Ornstein makes shock Konate claim that changes Liverpool’s summer

Robin Bairner

12 Apr 2026 10:03 BST
4 min read

Ibrahima Konate, Arne Slot, Liverpool — © IMAGO/FootballTransfers

Respected transfer journalist David Ornstein has made an announcement that threatens to change how Liverpool approach the summer transfer window.

Article continues under the video

Saturday saw the pressure ease on embattled manager Arne Slot as goals from Mohamed Salah and Rio Ngumoha saw the Anfield side claim a 2-0 win over Fulham in the Premier League.

But there are still many questions to be asked over the future of several key figures at Liverpool, including Slot.

Ornstein, though, made a surprise announcement on NBC Sports that the defending Premier League champions have more work to do than previously thought.

Current ETV

Ibrahima Konaté

D (C)

Liverpool

Ibrahima Konaté

D (C)

Liverpool

ETV Range

€35.6M - €43.5M

Ornstein on Ibrahima Konate

Reports out of Liverpool in recent days suggest that centre-back Ibrahima Konate is close to signing a new deal for the club.

Ornstein says this is not the case, however.

“Ibrahima Konate will be out of contract this summer and my latest information is that his situation is at an impasse,” he explained.

© IMAGO - Konate: No agreement with Liverpool

Konate departure a headache Liverpool could do without

The implications of losing Konate for Liverpool are significant because it likely means they will need to sign another starting centre-back in the summer.

While Giovanni Leoni was added from Parma a year ago in a deal worth €31 million, the young Italian was struck down with an ACL injury shortly after arriving at the club.

On top of this, Virgil van Dijk will be heading into the final year of his contract at Anfield, with the Netherlands international star now looking past his peak at the age of 34.

Liverpool are already on the hunt for a left-back following the confirmation that Andrew Robertson will leave the club when his contract expires in the summer while a left winger is also on the agenda.

With no certainty that Slot will be in charge beyond the end of the campaign, the Reds are facing another hectic summer, so the prospect of having to source and sign another centre-back is not something they will welcome.

One of the Premier League’s best centre-backs

Konate’s future remains unclear at this point. Real Madrid appear to have dropped their immediate interest in the France international centre-back following a dip in his form in the middle part of the season and there have been few other serious links in recent times.

© IMAGO/FootballTransfers - Ibrahima Konate, Liverpool, Premier League performance, 2025/26

Despite this, he has been one of the Premier League’s leading centre-backs, according to SicSports, which reports via is data-driven analysis that he is comfortably outperforming partner Van Dijk.

The 26-year-old, who has two years of his Liverpool contract remaining, has little over two months of his contract at Anfield remaining, leaving major doubts over where he will be playing his football next season.

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