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Ibrahima Konaté reportedly could not strike a contract renewal with Liverpool due to disagreements over proposed bonuses.
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The Frenchman, whose contract with the Reds expires on June 30, confirmed he will leave the club as a free agent after Anfield already bid farewell to Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson. The announcement also came just 24 hours following Arne Slot’s exit.
Konaté’s contract saga lasted almost the entirety of 2025–26, with back-and-forth negotiations never producing a clear agreement between both parties. The center back’s financial demands were thought to be the crux of the standoff, and further details have emerged to back up that notion.
Fabrizio Romano reports neither the length of Liverpool’s proposed contract nor the salary were the problems, but rather the bonuses. There were “extra bonuses” about winning trophies and regular bonuses concerning the number of appearances, among other milestones, that ultimately Konaté and the club could not agree on, prompting what was a “close” deal to collapse.
Without a renewal, the center back said his goodbyes to Anfield, his home for the last five seasons, in pursuit of a new chapter.
Konaté’s Next Destination Could Include a Liverpool Reunion
Losing a center back is the last thing Liverpool needed. Konaté’s struggles aside, the Frenchman, who made 51 appearances in 2025–26, was still a reliable option at an incredibly thin position for the Reds.
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As it stands, Liverpool have just the aging Virgil van Dijk, the injury-prone Joe Gomez and the unproven Giovanni Leoni, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury back in September, in their center back ranks. Jérémy Jacquet is also on his way to Anfield this summer, but the 20-year-old could be in for an adjustment period switching to the Premier League.
It’s more crucial than ever for Liverpool to turn to the transfer market to bolster their defense. There are a handful of names the club could pursue, including Tottenham Hotspur’s Mickey van de Ven and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Jan Paul van Hecke.
After only keeping nine out of a possible 31 clean sheets in 2026, Liverpool must shore-up their leaky backline if they want to have any chance of redeeming themselves from a fifth-place Premier League finish and trophyless 2025–26.
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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 2:30 PM.