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Liverpool are still facing the very real prospect of losing first-choice center back Ibrahima Konaté on a free transfer when his contract runs out next month, with a troubling new update painting a worrying picture.
Konaté has just seven weeks remaining on the deal he signed when he arrived from RB Leipzig in 2021, and no new agreement has been reached. The situation has swung back and forth over recent months, with the Frenchman at times appearing set to leave and at others seemingly on the verge of staying.
In his public comments, Konaté has hinted at prolonging his Liverpool career. Back in November, he suggested the matter would be resolved "very soon," while last month he stated that a new contract was "close" to being finalized and that there is a "big chance" he remains at the club.
Yet another month has passed with no deal struck, and the latest report from The Athletic's David Ornstein indicates it is now increasingly unlikely to happen.
Appearing on NBC Sports, Ornstein described the situation as "still at a stalemate," and with time rapidly running out, added, "It's not looking particularly positive."
For now, though, negotiations do not appear to have collapsed entirely, with both parties still willing to find a resolution if one is possible. "Until either side walks away there is still hope that they could reach a positive conclusion for him to stay at Anfield."
Center Back Recruitment Always a Summer Priority
The Reds could realistically head into the summer with Virgil van Dijk, who is about to turn 35 and entering the final year of his contract, Giovanni Leoni, 19 and returning from an ACL injury, and Joe Gomez as their only available center backs in the first-team squad.
Konaté's potential exit only amplifies a need for defensive reinforcements that was already present.
Liverpool could arguably argue they need center-back depth more urgently than a Mohamed Salah replacement. In fact, Salah's exit could be the catalyst that unlocks Florian Wirtz, who has spent much of his debut Anfield season operating in the Egyptian's considerable shadow.
Simply replacing Konaté alone would not be sufficient, with two or even three center backs ideally brought in overall. One should be viewed as Van Dijk's long-term heir, though finding someone capable of immediately filling Konaté's role as a ready-made starter has suddenly become the most pressing priority.
It bears some resemblance to the summer of 2023, when the Reds discovered significant gaps in the center of the pitch and effectively rebuilt an entire new midfield within a single transfer window.