Liverpool have stepped up their pursuit of Manchester United’s top target ahead of the summer transfer window and could now sign him for a reduced fee.
Reds eye new defender after latest update on Konate’s future
Ibrahima Konate has been in the bat for the past month or so, helping the Reds keep clean sheets in wins over Sunderland, Brighton and Nottingham Forest, but he was unable to stop Mario Lemina from scoring at Galatasaray last week.
The Turkish side hold a slim 1-0 advantage heading into tonight’s second leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie, with Konate also back in the squad after missing the weekend’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur due to a hamstring problem.
Given that his future at Anfield remains uncertain and his contract is due to expire at the end of the season, the Frenchman could put in his best performance tonight to put his name in the shop window.
Transfer correspondent Pete O’Rourke explained: “We know that Liverpool will probably carry out a major overhaul of their defense in the summer.
“Ibrahima Konate’s future is still up in the air. We don’t know if he will sign a new contract or leave the club on a free transfer. Virgil van Dijk is not getting any younger and Joe Gomez doesn’t have much time left on his contract either. Could he also move?”
“There will definitely be some coming and going in that central area for Liverpool.”
Liverpool intensify pursuit of ‘world-class’ centre-back
According to a report in Sport (via Sport Witness), Liverpool are looking to make a major change to their defense this summer and have approached Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni.
The Reds have been pursuing Bastoni for some time, but in a new development it has been revealed that Inter’s offer has been reduced from around 80 million euros (about £69 million) to just 50 million euros (about 4.3 billion yen).
Manchester United are also in the race for the Italian player, but Arne Slott’s side are currently looking to take over their rivals. That’s not surprising given his level of performance this season…
In fact, the 26-year-old has outperformed the French international in a number of key statistics this term, and there are signs that he could further develop Konate.
Average per 90 (league only) | Alessandro Bastoni | Ibrahima Konate |
exact path | 64.0 | 57.0 |
intercept | 1.0 | 0.8 |
tackle | 2.0 | 0.7 |
assist | 4 | 0 |
Hailed as “world class” by journalist Matteo Bonetti, the 41-time Italy international has proven himself at the highest level, making 56 Champions League appearances and two finals against Inter.
Bonetti has a history of success at Anfield, but with rivals Man United and Premier League leaders Arsenal interested, Liverpool may need to qualify for the Champions League to ensure they win the race for Bonetti.
