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. He will become the latest Liverpool player to depart for free, following Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah through the exit door at Anfield. With 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 10 years.
The Reds will now be forced to dip into the market to find a successor for Konate, who has primarily partnered Virgil van Dijk at the heart of their defence since 2021. Here are four candidates who could be on the radar of sporting director Richard Hughes and Liverpool's recruitment team.
Brighton's Jan Paul van Hecke ticks several boxes and has already been linked with a move to Liverpool. The Dutch centre-back 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 chipped in with three goals and three assists in the Premier League this season. His record for winning fouls (1.21 per 90) matches Konate's (1.19 per 90). Defensively, he ranks in the 72nd percentile of Premier League centre-backs for interceptions per 90 (1.32). Van Hecke has earned 10 caps for the Netherlands and is expected to play alongside Van Dijk at the World Cup. He will enter the final 12 months of his Brighton deal this summer, with the club expected to seek around £50 million for his signature.
Joachim Andersen, now at Fulham after his Crystal Palace days, is a dominant presence in the air who excels in interceptions and clearances while remaining assured in possession. Standing just a centimetre shorter than Van Hecke, Andersen has six years of Premier League experience and 49 caps for Denmark. He sits within the top 10% of Premier League centre-backs for touches and aerial duels won, and his differing skill set could also allow him to deputise for Van Dijk, affording the Liverpool skipper greater rest.
Other potential targets include a more experienced option, though the article does not specify further candidates beyond these two. Liverpool will need to act swiftly to secure a replacement for Konate, with competition from other clubs expected.
