07 Apr 2025 15:56:42
Konate has emerged this season as part of our defensive bedrock with Virg (much like Gomez was in 2019-20).
However, just reading a tabloid article about him wanting a new deal at £200k+ per week.
Would you pay that or cash in this window?
For me, as long as Virgin signs an extension, I would cash in and bring in someone with a higher bar and less injury issues.
However, if Virg is leaving, then I would think we have to tie Konate down.
07 Apr 2025 16:00:37
Yes I absolutely would. He has been the second best center half in the league this year and he is still very young.
07 Apr 2025 16:19:24
100% worth it. He's massive, quick, good in the air, able to command large amounts of space, has slightly improved at progressing the ball (room to improve), recovery pace, gets on great with the team, still has his prime years in him. Tough wood but he seems somewhat more robust the last 18-24 months.
I hope PSG don't wait for him and go sign another CB in summer, they are the threat I feel.
I think Ibou is the only one not sickened by Trents departure. He's been moonlighting CB and RB in many parts of many games.
07 Apr 2025 17:21:47
200k is about the going rate for a player of his level in that position. We don’t pay it someone else will.
07 Apr 2025 17:26:29
Sadly he is made from crepe paper.
07 Apr 2025 17:27:36
So let me get this straight! Konate is a bedrock of our defence but you might consider selling him for a player with a higher bar, but if Virgil leaves you would keep Konate?
It doesn’t make much sense to me if I’m honest.
07 Apr 2025 17:39:11
TiR, I thought that was fairly straight forward, but I'll try again, mate.
It's my belief that it would be too risky to lose both 1st team CBs in the same window.
So, if VVD stays, I would be happy to replace Konate rather than be held over a barrel in terms of wages. Don't get me wrong, I would rather he stays, but my big risk is whether his injuries woes are finally behind him or if this season is just lucky and he will go back to being available inconsistently from next season.
If Virgil leaves, its a no brainer, we have to pay what Konate wants as replacing both in one window is, imo, too risky.
07 Apr 2025 17:42:52
How can we sell him? We desperately need another cb on top of what we have already. If he wants to leave we’ll sell him but if he wants to stay keep him. I think he gets into any top 4 team in any league in Europe.
{Ed025's Note - really John?, bottom 4 maybe mate, Beto and DCL both had him a nervous wreck and they are pretty poor..
07 Apr 2025 17:43:21
I wouldn't be averse to selling him.
He was poor again on Sunday.
07 Apr 2025 18:02:39
He’s got that Bambi on ice about him. 2nd best? I’d swap him for either of the Nottingham Forest pair.
07 Apr 2025 18:03:29
Sell him and buy who? That would be 3 cbs we need let’s just pop down to center backs r us.
07 Apr 2025 19:01:27
scouse john - I've just Googled CBs we have been linked with in the last 12ms:
Geertruida, Hincapie, Lukeba, Guehi, Bastoni, Inacio, Murillo, Hato, Colwill, Branthwaite, Araujo (apparently in a swap deal with Diaz as Barcelona have no money! ) - the list goes on.
We need to replace (possibly) Konate and possibly Quansah. That's 2. If Virg doesn't resign, we do everything we can to keep Konate (see both my posts above for the simple reasons why) and we still need to find 2. 1 could be a starter and 1 could be either from our academy (Chambers for example, others will know more of our Academy CBs) and another could be double cover.
I really like Hato from the pov that he can rotate with Robbo and Beck for CB, and also start learning from VVD at CB for when he retires.
07 Apr 2025 19:01:38
Fair enough Zed ?
For me it’s not Konate but Gomez should be shown the door. Konate has to stay regardless of Virgil and if big Virg stays we still need to upgrade on Gomez and you can chuck Quansah in too if it gets us that better CB to challenge the main two. Endo could cover as that fourth CB when necessary.
Konate is a very good CB but certainly not “World Class” Whether that means he can demand £200k a week only the club can answer .
What is clear tho if Konate doesn’t sign then he has to be sold. We need to stop the good players walking out the door with no incoming fee.
07 Apr 2025 19:26:33
As long as he stops drag backs in the penalty area and stays injury free I’d prob keep him. He’s still got 3-4 years before he hits his ceiling.
07 Apr 2025 18:01:12
I really do Ed25, he’s allowed to have an off day.
{Ed025's Note - yeah but his seem to be on a Saturday John.. :)
07 Apr 2025 19:38:17
That’s the thing with us tho Zed, all links no chain. As it stands now we still need a cb now and if anyone leaves we need 2.
07 Apr 2025 19:38:28
Is he perfect? No but we can’t just getting rid of first team players. It’s too ambitious to try and replace so many players in one window.
I think he needs to be tied down to a new deal, he’s more than worth the alleged salary.
If he won’t sign then that’s different and I think he needs to be sold but then we have to make sure VVD signs. Can’t lose both our centre halves in one window .
07 Apr 2025 20:14:36
200k is the going rate for a top international player playing for a top club that win trophies, big or small. Im extending his contract, personally. Oh and to those saying he should be sold cos he had two bad games. That's just lazy recency bias stuff. VVD has had a poor game in the last two games as well. Should we rip up his potential contract extension just cos of that, too? Yeah, didn't think so.
Both have been outstanding this season where we have the second best defence and gotten 13 clean sheets while winning all 13 of them so if that is the wage packet Konate wants (which is the going rate for a player of his calibre) then, I don't see the problem.
07 Apr 2025 20:40:34
Konate is sat on 70kpw. He deserves the 105kpw extra Phillips and Bajcetic are sat on.
07 Apr 2025 20:02:17
To be fair 25 Beto gave Virgil a nightmare as well, and I think you'd agree he's been one of top cbs in the world for a few years.
Konate has had a good year and probably has earned a new contract but I'd imagine he will hold off for PSG. The injuries are a worry as well and if it was up to me I'd probably sell him this summer. but we have so many other needs I highly doubt it will happen.
{Ed025's Note - i have seen him play well and also awful Bmena, i think Virgil helps him big time usually but for a big guy he does seem to get bullied at times, i dont think you can lose both of them mate but Konate could be upgraded on i feel..
07 Apr 2025 21:58:09
If it is true ibou wants £200k pw then it is au revoir. A good defender but he is not class like VVD. He simply isn’t a top TOP player.
07 Apr 2025 22:35:22
He can have a 300k a week contract if it’s written in there that he can’t do anymore Cruyff turns in his own box. ??.
07 Apr 2025 22:55:33
Konate should have done a lot better on Fulham's first goal on Sunday.
He gets knocked around far too easily for a big lad.
08 Apr 2025 03:49:20
Crazy crazy talk on here, I think he is a top top player, he is mobile, aggressive, pro-active, great height, covers massive amounts of space, decent on the ball, excellent pace, and he still has time to grow and become even better than he is. At one point in the season he was arguably our player of the season alongside mo and Virgil, I'd still say that he's been one of our best performers across the entire season even if his recent form has taken a small dip.
08 Apr 2025 11:23:52
Ibou is a very good CB. It seems like he's changed something to minimise the muscle injuries this season. Credit to him and the performance guys for that.
However, he is still capable of lapses of judgement, which follows with at least 15-20 minutes of doing mad things in the game. Sometimes he can bully any forward in the world. Other times he let's them bully him. He needs to eradicate this inconsistency.
The other concern is that without Trent beside him, his limited ability on the ball might start to become the trigger for opposition teams - especially if Slot is adamant on starting attacks from defence.
If I was to rate his season - he was 9/ 10 until his injury vs Real Madrid and has been a 6/ 10 since returning.
I hope he extends, but he needs to improve his consistency and work on his ball progression.
08 Apr 2025 09:54:06
I agree with Ed025 here. It’s a myth Konate is strong. He is bullied constantly. For the Bergvall goal away in the Carabao Cup vs Spurs, Solanke eased him aside. For the Tarkowski goal at Goodison, Doucoure just nudged him under the ball. For the Sessegnon goal last weekend at Fulham, he was eased under the ball by the slightest hand on his back.
He’s weak and unbalanced. Don’t even need to get started on his poor awareness of his surroundings on the ball or running into traffic constantly. It says it all that Klopp dropped him for Quansah and everyone here is keen to write him off already. Konate is tall, quick and a good 1v1 ground defender. But he can be improved on in my opinion. He’s a 6ft4 Wan-Bissaka.
{Ed025's Note - i cant argue with that MK..
08 Apr 2025 11:52:27
Konate is a shocking CB and without VVD would be even worse. I would be happy to release him on a free at the end of the season. More trouble than he is worth.