Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson are about to enter the last six months of their contract at Liverpool
Almost there, folks. In less than 24 hours, the January transfer window will be flung open and players will start leaping through in the hope of landing on pastures new.
Well, something like that. But amid all the speculation over the ins and outs, perhaps the most immediate focus for Liverpool supporters will be on two players around which nothing has happened of late.
That, though, is precisely why both Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson find themselves on the brink of entering the final six months of their present Liverpool contract.
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While the pair are at different stages in their respective careers, each will be able to officially open talks from Thursday onwards with a view to signing for a club from outside England. Any potential suitors from within the country would have to wait until the summer.
Konate offers the greater intrigue. Signed in 2021 from RB Leipzig for £36million, the France international made his 100th Premier League appearance in the weekend win over Wolves and now has 157 Liverpool outings in all competitions.
Talks over a new deal, which were opened more than a year ago, have shown no signs of reaching a resolution, with Konate’s most recent comments on the situation coming last month.
“I’ve seen a lot of things in the press recently, like Liverpool have made me a new offer,” he said. “I don’t know where that’s coming from. My agents are continuing discussions with Liverpool. I hope my decision will be made very soon so I can announce it.”
Konate’s wayward form in the opening months of this season left himself open to suggestions he was being affected by the uncertainty over his future, particularly with Real Madrid, long-time suitors of the centre-back, informing Liverpool they were not interested in signing the player on a free.
Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, though, continue to be linked, and to his credit Konate – who remains first-choice Reds centre-back alongside Virgil van Dijk – has posted a series of improved performances of late. Nevertheless, the rumours surrounding his future will only intensify once the window opens.
By contrast, Robertson is no longer a regular at left-back and has started only three Premier League games this season, with summer signing Milos Kerkez the preferred choice.
The 31-year-old was a target for Atletico Madrid before the start of the campaign only for no deal to come to fruition with Liverpool instead pruning their options in the position by sanctioning a season-long loan move to Roma for Kostas Tsimikas.
The prospect of skippering Scotland in the World Cup in the summer is a priority for Robertson and there’s every chance his Anfield future may not be resolved until much nearer that tournament. Talk of progress has gone quiet since Robertson revealed initial discussions had already taken place earlier in the year.
There is no desire for Liverpool to cash in on either Konate or Robertson in January so to avoid losing them for nothing at the end of the campaign.
Fenway Sports Group have an established policy of allowing players to run down their contracts provided they are still of use to the first team, as was shown regularly under Jurgen Klopp and last season with Arne Slot’s use of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
But as things stand, the start of the New Year window could well signify the beginning of the end for both Robertson and Konate at Anfield.
