“In trouble with the Liverpool fans”: Konate makes new

Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate has claimed that supporters are not aware of the entire truth surrounding his contract situation at the club, and that he hopes he can provide them with an update soon.

The French defender has endured a difficult start to the 2025-26 season, with many pundits such as Jamie Carragher criticising him for his performances at the back.

In 11 Premier League games, the Reds have already conceded 17 goals, a figure that they did not reach until matchweek 17 in 2024-25, and Konate has fallen far below the standards he set when he helped the side win the top flight.

Liverpool fans are concerned that the 26-year-old’s displays have regressed due to the fact he has less than a year left on his contract and may have had his his head swayed by rumours of interest from Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

Speaking to Telefoot while on international duty with France, Konate critiqued the media speculation regarding his deal, adding that he was hopeful of a concrete update on his future soon, saying: “It’s clear we think about [the contract], but what’s complicated is that we can’t say everything because there’s a lot of things being said in the media.

“Sometimes I see things and I’m like, ‘oh la la’, and it gets me into trouble with the Liverpool fans even though they don’t know all the ins and outs. Anyway, I hope and I know that in any case the most important thing is that I’m happy. We’ll see [if an announcement is made soon], we will see. In any case we hope so.”

The defender has previously refuted claims of a new contract having been offered by the Merseysiders, but a decision will have to be reached regarding his future sooner rather than later.

Ibrahima Konate contract: Has defender handled situation appropriately

Reds fans can be forgiven for feeling disillusioned by the situation with Konate considering they dealt with similarly draining sagas in 2024-25.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was sold to Real Madrid in the summer after running down his deal, and supporters were critical of his conduct given he did not perform media duties despite being vice-captain in a move that was seen as him avoiding tough questions on his future.

Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah could have also left at the end of 2024-25, but the pair regularly spoke to the media and addressed their contract situations.

While supporters were not always satisfied by their answers, they did at least appreciate their willingness to engage with journalists and provide updates.

Konate has largely addressed his future while on international duty with France, and perhaps it would be beneficial if he spoke to local media representatives once he returns to Anfield.

Are Liverpool to blame for Ibrahima Konate’s problems in 2025-26?

Konate was arguably at fault for Manchester City’s opening goal when the Reds lost 3-0 last weekend, with his attempted header deflecting off of Erling Haaland.

The Frenchman has struggled all season, with his decision making under pressure questionable, and he has found it difficult to play out form the back without Alexander-Arnold by his side.

Arne Slot and the recruitment staff should have recognised that Konate is not a specialist progressor and sought solutions in the transfer market, though they could not have accounted for his decision making declining when attempting to challenge an opponent.

The centre-back’s poor form cannot be completely excused, but it would also be unfair to claim that he has not been impacted by the team’s wider issues.

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