Konate drops Liverpool transfer tip with candid confession from teammates
French international Ibrahima Konate experienced the high points of the competition for four major trophies in his debut season with Liverpool, but had a much more difficult and challenging season in his second year
Ibrahima Konate admits Liverpool need to update their squad with new additions this summer if they are to be challengers for the Premier League title again.
The Reds won two trophies in 2021-2022, winning the League Cup and the FA Cup, while falling painfully short in the Premier League and being led to the title by Manchester City on the final day. They also reached their third Champions League final in five years, but lost 1-0 to Real Madrid in Paris.
But this season has proved much more difficult for Jurgen Klopp’s men, with a European outing against Real Madrid last week ending their trophy hopes, having already lost in both domestic cups. Furthermore, a Premier League campaign riddled with inconsistency – epitomized by a 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth a week after beating Manchester United 7-0 – and injury woes has seen them battle for fourth place, with the Reds currently seven points behind Spurs. French international Konate has had his share of injury woes. The Paris-born centre-back has made just eight Premier League appearances and just 14 appearances in all competitions to date.
Problems with players lacking fitness and fitness were a problem for the whole team, after a season of over 60 games. The 23-year-old told Eurosport: “This season is more complicated for all of us, for the whole club.
“No one is in a better position than the coach to talk about the reasons. We have been unfortunate to have many injuries, like I did at the start of the season.”
For Konate, to avoid a repeat in the future, a stronger squad may be needed, explaining: “We may have been short of players. The workload has been intense and has become complicated. But the season is not over yet.”
However, the former RB Leipzig player doesn’t think Anfield isn’t the best place for his future. And he has made clear that his goal is solely to bring more trophies to Merseyside.
“When you play for Liverpool, the honest question is ‘Where can I go now?'” he added. “You have to perform at a club like this to persevere. My goal is to be a key player in the short and long term and of course to win all the trophies available.”
Konaté lost two major finals for club and country last year in the Champions League and the World Cup. But he said: “I’m lucky I don’t have any regrets. When I think back to the scenario against Real Madrid, I think, ‘What else could I have done?’ Well, nothing.
“The World Cup final, I have a few precious minutes and I’m also like, ‘What else could I have done?’ And I don’t see it. I’m sorry for the team, but not personally.”