Blog

Konate sounded as confident as ever when he said in April there was a “big chance” he would remain at Anfield.

In fact, he even asked reporters to speak to Liverpool‘s sporting director Richard Hughes, implying he had always wanted to stay at the club, despite earlier rumours linking him with a move to Real Madrid.

“I’m waiting to sort the contract, but when everything is sorted, you will have to ask Richard what I said to him in September, November and he’s going to say something to make everyone quiet,” Konate said at the time.

Over the past few months, manager Arne Slot described Konate as “vital” and admitted Liverpool would not be in talks for a new deal if they did not want the defender to stay.

Now it looks like that contract will not be sorted and Konate will be on his way out of Anfield without even saying goodbye – unlike Salah and Robertson, who both said their farewells to fans last weekend.

In truth, it is a mess on both sides. For Liverpool, this is yet another experienced campaigner leaving on a free transfer. Such a situation should have been resolved last summer, in order to get a fee for Konate or at the latest by the January window.

At 27, Konate is in his prime and – though the options aren’t clear at the moment – eyes will light up around the world at getting a centre-half of his calibre for free. Any decision as to his next club may come after the World Cup.

However, that will come down to an agreement on wages, with the simple matter that Konate wants a lot more money than the amount at which Liverpool value him. It leaves the Frenchman in a precarious position and unable to stay at the club where he said he truly wanted to be.

Liverpool believe any agreement cannot come at the cost of their financial equilibrium or undermine the allocation of resources within the playing squad. And so it looks as if Konate will quietly exit through the back door.

Liverpool‘s season to forget may have finished last week but the problems continue for Slot and co, with what is a disappointing outcome for both parties.