Liverpool have had a disappointing season so far. The Reds were knocked out of Champions League last week and are currently fighting a tough battle to reach the top 4 this season. Liverpool seem to have learnt from their mistakes as they are on the verge of completing a £30 million move for Ibrahima Konate.
Konate who currently plays in the Bundesliga for RB Leipzig is a center-back and will provide much-needed cover for the Liverpool defence. The French defender has represented his country in the youth levels and as recently as in the U21 competitions.
The latest development in this transfer was reported by Transfer Guru Fabrizio Romano on Twitter. RB Leipzig was holding out for the club to pay the entire release clause on their Frenchman.
Konate will give the Liverpool backline a massive boost
Liverpool for the most part of the season had to rely on a makeshift defence. The centre-back pairing of both Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomes suffered injuries in the early period of the season and have not returned. Their only other recognized defender was Joel Matip, who also suffered a season-ending injury of his own.
The injuries meant that Liverpool had to use Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, both midfielders, as their center-backs. Ozan Kabak was brought in from Schalke on loan and Ben Davies was signed from Preston. While Kabak has made it into the starting team, Davies has not made any appearances so far.
Liverpool was rightfully criticized for not strengthening their squad after winning the Premier League. Dejan Lovren was allowed to leave the club without replacing him. The team should have anticipated an injury especially looking at the example of Manchester City in the previous season.
BACK TO SHREWD BUSINESS
Both parties are said to have agreed on personal terms and Konate will be signing a five-year deal with Liverpool. Though he did suffer injuries, Konate has been vital for Julian Nagelsmann and Leipzig when he is present. He has a physical presence and can play on both sides in the center-back role.
The Reds in the past were known for their shrewd business. They relied on data analysis and signed the most important players for the team, rather than making big signings.
Bringing in a 21-year-old defender will help the club in future-proofing their squad. Liverpool has a good relationship with Leipzig having signed Naby Keita from the German club. This has definitely helped in fast-tracking the signing.
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