08 May 2025 03:12:36
Ed1 - there is news that Real Madrid is looking to sign Konate for free. This is insane and seems like club is not learning the lesson.
{Ed001's Note - I am not sure how this is Liverpool not learning the lesson.}
08 May 2025 08:21:58
The club cannot afford to punish Konate or any main stream player by dropping them to the bench. If we drop konate then we have to play Quansah. The cost of replacing Konate would be somehwere near £70 mill and I can't see the club splashing that sum just to teach konate a lesson.
why do you think we exended VVD lol. the cost of replacing him would be £100 mill.
08 May 2025 08:29:58
So we started negotiations with Konate last year and he rejected the contract and we still haven’t tied him up in the Anfield basement and pulled his fingernails out?
When will we learn?
08 May 2025 09:09:34
If you offer a player a contract, and he declines it, I don't understand how it's the club needing to learn lessons.
08 May 2025 09:17:40
If we won't sign offer him to Psg for cut price and sign Huijsen who will then get in the first team as he wants.
08 May 2025 09:19:17
If he is talking with Madrid then try and sell if possible.
With it being a World Cup he will want to play so if he’s waiting for Madrid then either agree a new one year extension with a release clause of 30million or If he wants run his contract down then I would buy a replacement this summer and he can be on the bench for a year.
{Ed078's Note - any new thoughts Ed001?
08 May 2025 09:22:43
Don’t stress about things you can’t control. We will put a team out next season that will be competitive and the same the year after and so on.
It would be nice if Konate signed a new deal, but if he refuses and refuses to be sold (which he is well within his rights), then he will become a free agent and there is nothing we can do about it.
We have lost better players than Trent and konate in the past, yet we are still winning trophies!
08 May 2025 09:29:16
@House of Cards - you are talking some drivel on these pages recently.
“why do you think we exended VVD lol. the cost of replacing him would be £100 mill. ”
We extended Van Dijks contract because he’s an excellent centre half, arguably the best in the world still. That’s why we extended his contract.
08 May 2025 10:06:36
We extended Van Dijks contract because he’s an excellent centre half, arguably the best in the world still.
Also if he leaves we will need to replace him with a player that would cost £100 mill in todays market.
The club would have needed 7-8 players had Salah and VVD did not extend. do you really think that is even doable? mind you both Salah and VVD walks away for free and we get nothing in return.
what exactly are you disagreeing with me mate?
08 May 2025 10:48:19
Does make you wonder if Chelsea are on to something with 7 year contracts to keep their players away from Madrid.
08 May 2025 11:07:54
Real Madrid journos threatening that Real will sign Ibou on a free and have entered the Dean Huijsen race the day after we play hardball on early release terms for Trent to go to the CWC?
Just another day at Real Madrid.
08 May 2025 12:14:36
Yes Goldstars but we have never lost better players than Trent and Ibou for FREE and expected to still win trophies. We are not City/ PSG we simply cannot afford the hit.
{Ed001's Note - there is not a lot we can do now, it was last year Konate's contract should have been either extended or him sold. He is a good player, but not really great as he has far too many mistakes and off days. He should be easily replaced by a player who can do as well as he has, so get the replacement in and then get rid if he is not going to re-sign.}
08 May 2025 12:38:19
Yes Viktor, why don't we give 7 year contracts to everyone and be saddled with players and big salaries we can't get rid of if we need to.
08 May 2025 12:45:40
The one thing I would say is that at least we made an offer at the soonest point with Konate so we can now make a decision, I think we should say to Konate take it or leave it, if he says leave it, then go and get Huijsen and let him know he’s first choice alongside Van Dijk and Konate has the option of being cover and warming the bench or accepting a transfer out.
08 May 2025 13:04:59
Finally something I agree with VV on. Sign a new first choice CB first and then let Konate know that he’s become 3rd choice and will be playing from the bench in 25/ 26. If anyone wants him then I’m sure his agent can find a buyer, he won’t want to miss out on a WC. I get all the stuff about players being transient employees but when you pay £40m for them you really don’t want them manipulating a Bosman when they fancy, we need to get some of our outlay back.
08 May 2025 13:48:25
@House of cards - you’re talking about punishing players and teaching them a lesson.
It’s all just a load of conjecture nonsense.
VVD was signed because the club wanted him to continue playing for us. It’s as simple as that.
08 May 2025 16:36:41
Kind of piggy backing on this to ask generally about contracts expiring and how clubs deal with it.
Using Konate just as an example. You can't force someone to leave if they don't want to. I understand how clubs can't just sell a player which doesn't want to leave, even though a lot don't seem to understand that.
But are there ways to motivate them to leave, IE if someone came in for Konate for 70m (just picking a number), obviously he'd get a big bonus for leaving as a free. But essentially "covering" the sign on bonus he'd get for leaving on a free from the 70m as a way to motivate him to leave without being a free?
Is this something that generally does/ can happen? It obviously doesn't stop another club telling the player to just wait and save the transfer fee, but if they want to leave, and can get a signing bonus anyway.
08 May 2025 17:25:05
The vast majority of players when they are told they are no longer first choice will look to leave and not just sit on the bench.
08 May 2025 19:01:39
And that’s how we should play it with Konate I reckon Markp08. Replace him now and then tell him he’s third choice so that he pushes for a move. Failing that this RM/ PSG stuff could all be made up nonsense but we need to understand his intentions asap so that we don’t lose another £50m player for £0.