Why Liverpool signing Ibrahima Konate would be a smart long-term move
According to BILD (h/t Mirror), Liverpool have shown interest in Ibrahima Konate of RB Leipzig. The Reds have been ravaged with injuries to their defenders and could likely dip in the January transfer market to sign a central defender.
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Konate, 21, came through the ranks of FC Sochaux’s youth system and joined Leipzig in the summer of 2017. Since then, he has become an integral member of the squad and is one of the main players in the team.
He has taken huge strides in his development in recent years. Though he struggled with injuries last term, Konate is one of the best upcoming talents in Europe.
So far, he has played in 83 games for the German side, scoring 4 goals and assisting one (source – Transfermarkt). Konate is currently a part of the French U-21 side and has 11 appearances for them to date.
Konate can be a fine addition to Liverpool’s defence
It would be an understatement to say that Liverpool have been rather lucky with injuries in previous seasons. They could play their first choice team on most occasions and that led to a lot of success. Finally, it seems that that luck has run out as they have been hit by one injury after the other, mostly in defence.
Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez, two of their starting centre-backs, have been ruled out for the majority of this season (source – Liverpool Echo). Even the likes of Matip and Fabinho suffered injuries earlier, from which they have recovered.
Liverpool are not known to panic buy and rightly so. But this time, they really need at least the one centre-back in January. Ibrahima Konate fits the bill of what Liverpool are looking for. The Leipzig youngster is one of the up and coming defenders in Europe who can be signed with an eye on the future as well.
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He was a part of the Leipzig side that went to the semi-finals of the Champions League last season.
Despite the young age, he is a competent defender who has a fair amount of experience. In Konate, Liverpool will be getting a long term asset and should splurge out the amount Leipzig want.
