Liverpool have added RB Leipzig’s Ibrahima Konate, to their list of centre-back targets, according to reports in the German media.
The Frenchman is a teammate of Dayot Upamecano and it is believed he could cost slightly more than his fellow countryman, with a reported price tag of €50m (£45m).
Konate, who has also been linked with Arsenal in recent weeks, has had his injury problems this season, having started just two league games, and fans on Twitter are not sure whether the defender would be the right target:
I’d absolutely be ecstatic about this
Come on!!
— ClassTrends (@ClassTrends) December 4, 2020
Too expensive
— Kelvin Alandouكلفن (@Kelvin53146813) December 4, 2020
I love our recruitment team Konaté >> Upamecano
— DA_SAM ? (@issam92) December 4, 2020
He is the next big deal in football. He’ll be world class in few years.
— زكريا الدرديري مدرس رياضيات وفرنساوي (@ZAKARIA_DARDIRI) December 4, 2020
Poor injury record ??♂️
— Anthony Kelly (@footieblog14) December 4, 2020
This would be such a smart decision from Liverpool.
— Dan Buzzard (@danbuzz23) December 4, 2020
Very smart, hes better than Upamecano
— jason williams (@derulojason87) December 4, 2020
No more injury prone players to add to Ox, Gomez, Matip, Thiago, Shaq and Keita .
— owen colley (@owencolley5) December 4, 2020
There is 0 chance this is real. ZERO!! 50 MILLION ?????
— DaveWatsgoinon82? (@watson21382) December 4, 2020
It’s a no for me.
— Patrick (@B2Life33) December 5, 2020
As Upamecano has the bigger reputation out of the two defenders, it is interesting to see that the Reds may opt against signing the France international in favour of his lesser-known centre-half partner.
It may simply be the case that Leipzig are more willing to let Konate leave before the end of the season, while it is thought they may hold on to Upamecano until the summer when his release clause comes into effect.