From Rock to Risk: Why Liverpool Must Decide on Konaté Now
Liverpool have entered the 2025/26 season as defending Premier League champions. That’s the headline. Arne Slot delivered the title in his first season, the team played some of the most expansive football Anfield has seen in years, and the mood this summer was clear: consolidate and go again. But if the first two outings of the new campaign tell us anything, it’s this: the defence isn’t yet at the level of a champion-in-waiting.
The Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace exposed spacing and transition problems. The 4–2 win over Bournemouth was fun for the scoreboard, less fun for anyone watching Liverpool’s shape without the ball. And in both games, Ibrahima Konaté was at the centre of the conversation — for the wrong reasons.
Contract Standoff
On paper, Konaté is still the 25-year-old meant to inherit Virgil van Dijk’s mantle. In reality, the form is flat. The body language is off. The recovery runs feel half a step behind. The real problem: his contract runs out in June 2026. That means from January 2026 he can talk to any club about a free transfer.
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Unless he signs an extension, Liverpool are staring at the nightmare of losing a high-value centre-back for nothing, and that is simply not an option for a club that prides itself on smart recruitment. Extend or sell. That’s the binary choice. Letting it drift would be negligent.
The Heir Apparent
Liverpool didn’t buy Giovanni Leoni from Parma just to stockpile another academy project. He’s 18, yes, but he’s already played senior Serie A football and looked the part: front-foot defending, assured on the ball, no fear under pressure.
Slot’s system demands a right-sided centre-back who can step into midfield, break lines with passes, and still have the pace to cover when the shape flips to a 3-2-5 in possession. Leoni ticks those boxes. The temptation will be there: if Konaté’s form doesn’t recover quickly, Leoni is the obvious candidate to start bleeding into the XI. Not as a desperation gamble, but as a genuine footballing solution.
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The Proven Option
The third piece is Marc Guehi. Liverpool’s interest hasn’t gone away, and it makes perfect sense. He’s Premier League-proven, 25 years old, disciplined in his positioning, and doesn’t blink in one-v-one duels. A pairing of Van Dijk + Guehi gives Slot reliability now, while Leoni develops at a controlled pace. It also means that if Konaté is sold, Liverpool aren’t scrambling mid-season with only a teenager behind Van Dijk.
What We’ve Learned So Far
- Community Shield vs Palace – Konaté reactive, struggling to squeeze up, second balls unchallenged.
- Bournemouth opener – a 4–2 win hides the issues; Konaté again looked hesitant in duels, caught between stepping up and dropping off.
Two games don’t make a season, but they confirm a trend that goes back into the second half of 2024/25. Liverpool won the league in spite of these cracks; if they want to defend it, those cracks can’t widen.
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The Way Forward
- Make the Konaté call – If there’s no extension by autumn, Liverpool should explore a sale. Sentimentality cannot override squad planning.
- Push for Guehi – Yes, the price will sting, but certainty at centre-back is priceless in a title defence.
- Stage-manage Leoni – Give him the cups, measured league minutes, and pairings with Van Dijk. He’s a future starter, but how you handle this season determines whether that future arrives too soon or too late.
Verdict
Liverpool aren’t in crisis. They’re in a championship defence — which means the margins are brutal. Konaté’s dip, his unresolved contract, and the need for defensive clarity make this a decision month. If he renews and regains form, brilliant. If he won’t, be ruthless: sell, sign Guehi, and let Leoni grow into the season. That’s how you protect the title, not just celebrate last season’s.
By: Emma Robinson | @emmzrob
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / ANP – Getty Images