Liverpool signed Konate from RB Leipzig
Liverpool paid £36 million to activate Konate's termination clause.
have announced that they have hired Leipzig defender Ibrahima Konate to pay for his termination.
The 22-year-old defender has made 21 appearances for RB Leipzig this season, starting with eight Bundesliga games and finishing second, 13 points behind leaders Bayern Munich. While Liverpool have suffered a lot this season from the absence of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip, the presence of the French defender will certainly help Jürgen Klopp's defense for next season.
“It’s a really exciting moment for me and my family and I am really looking forward to meeting my new teammates, the staff and getting started on this new chapter.
“Right now, my focus is on the U21 European Championships with France, but after this competition I know I will be joining one of the best teams in the world and that gives me a great feeling.
“I have worked very hard for many years to get to this point, but I would like to say a big thank you to everyone at RB Leipzig and all the people I worked with there – the coaches, my teammates, the staff and especially the fans.
“Your support helped me grow up during my time there and become not only a better player, but a better man and I will always be grateful for it.”
Injuries caused Fabinho and Jordan Henderson to make frequent appearances for Liverpool defensive line, and Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams formed the Reds' pair at the end of the season. In January, Liverpool hired Ben Davies on a permanent basis and Ozan Kabak on loan from Schalke to cover the problems of his defense.
However, Davies has not yet played for Liverpool and Kabak has made 13 appearances for the club, but has failed to win the German coach's attention and will likely return to Germany in the summer.
In Leipzig, Upamecano and Orban spent most of the season on the defensive line, and Konate, who suffered an injury in December, was sidelined for about two months. It remains to be seen what role he will play in his new team and whether he can become one of Liverpool's key players.
DISCLAIMER! Sportmob does not claim ownership of any of the pictures posted on this website. Again, we do not host pictures or videos ourselves. Our authors merely link to the rightful owner. Lastly, Sportmob have carefully considered and reviewed all of its content. Despite that, it is possible that some information might be out-dated or incomplete.