A trusted reporter who specialises in covering Liverpool has pointed to recent comments made by Arne Slot that suggest a deal the Reds are \u2018desperate\u2019 to seal will be finalised.<\/p>\n
Liverpool<\/a> already have their first signing of the summer wrapped up, with Jeremy Jacquet arriving from Rennes in a deal worth \u00a355m plus \u00a35m in add-ons. However, that by no means closes the door with regards to further movement in Arne Slot\u2019s centre-back corps.<\/p>\n Liverpool\u2019s plans may wind up being dictated by what happens with Jacquet\u2019s fellow Frenchman, Ibrahima Konate<\/a>.<\/p>\n As it stands, the 26-year-old is tracking towards free agency, with his current contract expiring in the summer.<\/p>\n Liverpool have tried and failed on multiple occasions to convince Konate to put pen to paper. Initial efforts first begun back in late-2024 and continue to this day.<\/p>\n Interest from Real Madrid<\/a> has come and gone, with Los Blancos reportedly now pursuing Nico Schlotterbeck of Borussia Dortmund instead<\/a>.<\/p>\n And according to the Daily Mail\u2019s<\/a> Merseyside correspondent, Lewis Steele, recent comments made by Slot point towards a breakthrough at Anfield and Konate agreeing to extend his stay.<\/p>\n A fortnight ago, the Reds boss explained: \u201cWe are in talks with him (Konate) so that tells you what we want.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s clear we would like him to stay but negotiations are ongoing so let\u2019s see where that ends. We wouldn\u2019t be in negotiations if we didn\u2019t want him to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n And according to Steele, the mere fact Slot was willing to publicly talk about Konate\u2019s contract situation is a \u2018giveaway clue\u2019 there\u2019s light at the end of the tunnel and a deal will be agreed.<\/p>\n Steele made that assessment after highlighting Slot always refused to talk about the contract situations of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah last season, at least until a decision was close, and in those two instances, the players signed extensions.<\/p>\n The Mail reporter explained: \u2018We do not fully know where Konate\u2019s head is in this saga \u2013 but it is clear he loves the club and enjoys his life at Liverpool.<\/p>\n \u2018Real Madrid had posted an interest earlier in the season but that seems to have cooled.<\/p>\n \u2018Konate is crucial to Liverpool, though, and with Virgil van Dijk turning 35 in the summer, he could be the bridge between the present and future at the club with young Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni, 20 and 19 respectively, both primed as long-term defensive options.<\/p>\n \u2018There was also a heart-warming moment on Sunday at Nottingham Forest where Konate gave a journalist his match-worn shirt as a gesture of gratitude for some dates, a popular snack with Muslims after breaking their Ramadan fasts.<\/p>\n \u2018No concrete updates have been offered in 2026 but he is certainly not a clear-cut candidate for leaving Liverpool as he may have been.<\/p>\n \u2018Even Slot openly discussing the club\u2019s desire to keep him was telling \u2013 he did not do that with Salah or Van Dijk last year until new deals were close to being signed.<\/p>\n \u2018Just like the hierarchy did not panic about Slot\u2019s future based on a few bad months, the club would not have let a tough start to the season cloud their judgment on Konate. They, rightly so, are desperate for him to renew.\u2019<\/p>\n It is worth noting that TEAMtalk correspondent, Graeme Bailey, exclusively revealed earlier this month that Liverpool will not wait until the end of the season<\/a> for Konate to make his decision on whether to extend.<\/p>\n We understand Liverpool want an answer from Konate by Easter, so big developments on his future are expected soon.<\/p>\n Want more breaking transfer lines from original sources? Add TEAMtalk as a preferred source on Google <\/a>to your favourites list for news you can trust.<\/p>\n Latest Liverpool news \u2013 \u00a360m-\u00a370m Forest raid \/ Alessandro Bastoni, Micky van de Ven\u2026<\/p>\n In other news, Liverpool and Chelsea are both showing \u2018strong and serious\u2019 interest in taking a Nottingham Forest ace away from the City Ground, and we can reveal a\u00a0summer sale is \u2018increasingly likely\u2019 if offers of around \u00a360m-\u00a370m<\/a>\u00a0are tabled.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on the futures of Alessandro Bastoni and Micky van de Ven\u00a0as Liverpool prepare to make a statement defensive signing this summer<\/a>.<\/p>\n