Ibrahima Konate is set to end his five-year spell at Liverpool this summer, with no fresh terms agreed between the French centre-back and the club. Konate will become the latest Liverpool player to walk away for nothing, following Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah through the exit door at Anfield. When factoring in Trent Alexander-Arnold's move to Real Madrid last year, Liverpool have recouped just £10 million for four of their most influential players over the past five to ten years.
With top-quality centre-backs at a premium, the Reds will be forced to dip into the market to find a successor for Konate, who has primarily partnered Virgil van Dijk since 2021. Four candidates have been identified by Richard Hughes and Liverpool's recruitment team, including Brighton's Jan Paul van Hecke, who has already been linked with a move through reports in his native Netherlands.
Van Hecke, 24, has featured in both a back three and a back four at Brighton, providing tactical versatility. He is a calm, ball-playing centre-half well-versed in possession-oriented systems, and has contributed three goals and three assists in the Premier League this campaign. His record for winning fouls matches Konate's, having been fouled 1.21 times per 90 minutes compared to Konate's 1.19. Defensively, he ranks in the 72nd percentile for interceptions per 90 (1.32).
Van Hecke has earned just 10 caps for the Netherlands but has been included in the Dutch World Cup squad and is expected to play a significant role alongside Van Dijk. He will enter the final 12 months of his Brighton deal this summer, potentially easing negotiations, though Tottenham and Chelsea are also interested. Brighton are anticipated to seek around £50 million for his signature.
Another option is Joachim Andersen, formerly of Crystal Palace and now at Fulham. Andersen is a dominant aerial presence who excels in interceptions and clearances while remaining assured in possession. He sits within the top 10% of Premier League centre-backs for touches and aerial duels won, and his experience could prove valuable in an increasingly physical league. Andersen has six years of Premier League pedigree and 49 caps for Denmark.
