Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate is not enjoying the best of times at the moment.
Although he’s been a brilliant addition for the Reds since joining in 2021, Konate has had a difficult time recently.
The 24-year-old was called out by Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher after last month’s dreadful Merseyside Derby loss to Everton. Carragher even suggested that Konate should be replaced over the summer.
Reports since have claimed that Liverpool will indeed look to bring in a new centre-back before next season. However, we don’t think Konate is necessarily in danger.
With Virgil van Dijk’s future a little up in the air, and the Dutchman advancing in age anyway, a long-term partner for Ibou is being sought. And after a report from German journalist Christian Falk today, Liverpool could now have the chance to make the perfect signing.
Liverpool should take advantage of Dayot Upamecano situation
There have so far been plenty of targets suggested as being of interest to Liverpool as far as centre-back is concerned.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s Willian Pacho appears to be an early front-runner to be signed. Meanwhile, Goncalo Inacio of Sporting has reportedly been on the radar for quite some time.
But in our opinion, Liverpool should ignore those two and instead look towards Bayern Munich and Dayot Upamecano. Writing in The Daily Briefing today, Falk claimed that Upamecano is now ‘high on the list to be sold’ by Bayern this summer.
While he’s a little older than the likes of Pacho and Inacio at 25, Liverpool should be seriously interested in poaching the Frenchman.
Obviously, part of the appeal of Upamecano would be his history of playing alongside Konate. Not only are the pair teammates with the France national team, but they were also colleagues and partners for four years at RB Leipzig.
In the years since their joint departure from Leipzig, they’ve also been given some rave reviews as a partnership.
Konate and Upamecano could be Liverpool’s dream duo
You can see the logic in reuniting Konate and Upamecano this summer. Liverpool need a centre-back and a long-term partner for Ibou and his old pal is seemingly available.
Having been signed by Bayern for £38m and now on the transfer list, you can’t imagine Upamecano costing the earth.
More than that though, he and Konate’s partnership for France has been hailed as possibly the best the country has seen in its storied history. That claim was made by Marcel Desailly, who said this of Konate and Upamecano in March 2023.
“They are calm, serene and just have to learn about defensive retreat and to have humility. If they evolve on that, they can become, especially Upamecano, perhaps, the greatest defenders France has had.”
If Liverpool play their cards right, the pair could be the best Anfield has ever seen, too.