Summer transfer thread

[miller0863]

Ibrahima Konate will not be sold to Liverpool, according to RB Leipzig's sporting director Markus Krosche, amid their reported interest in the centre-back.
The Athletic have reported that Liverpool were close to finalising a deal for Konate, whose contract reportedly contains a release clause of around £34.15m

RB Leipzig sporting director Markus Krosche has said Ibrahima Konate is not for sale

(€40m), but Leipzig director Krosche said the 21-year-old France youth international has a big future ahead of him in Germany.
"I think that this is not an option for Ibu," Krosche said of Konate, who has made 15 appearances in all competitions this season and has a contract at Leipzig until June 2023.
"He has a long contract with us and he knows what we mean to him and what he means to us.

"He was unlucky last year as he had a long-term injury but this year he is developing well and he is an extremely important player that has a lot of potential.

[LEGS]

It is common knowledge Konate has a release clause so any club who meets it can speak to him.

I think Red Bull do put these release clauses in young talent as it is bargaining chip to get them if they joined say Aston Villa and played well they'd demand £60-80m.

Red Bull clubs put lowish clauses in £20-40m so they arent priced out the market.

[Nineteenx]

I wanted Konate 2 seasons ago, really not sure it would be a wise investment with his injury record since then, he'd have to have an incredibly thorough medical, last thing we need is another player of incredible talent and ability who's a sick note, if we had confidence in his ability to be fit, he'd be a brilliant addition if we can have him playing at the levels he was at 2 seasons ago and higher

I was watching a lot of Leipzig to look at Werner, you couldn't help notice Konate, he was brilliant, I couldn't believe how good he was at the age he was or that no-one was raving about him, he was exactly the kind of beast we need playing alongside Virgil, went to ground too often when he should have stayed on his feet and taken a position to force the player to go where he wanted him to, to then nick the ball off him or make a block tackled rather than going to ground was the only thing that looked like it needed working on

[ianlfc]

I wanted Konate 2 seasons ago

You had me at this !!

[RedNoodle]

We seem to like buying/being linked to players who are past their prime and/or injury prone.

[miller0863]

RB Leipzig's France Under-21 defender Ibrahima Konate, 21, has already passed some medical tests before a potential move to Liverpool. (RMC Sport - in French)

[reddownunder]

Given what has occurred this season I find it astounding that we would sign a CB that has made a grand total of 17 league appearances in the last 2 years

[RedNoodle]

Given what has occurred this season I find it astounding that we would sign a CB that has made a grand total of 17 league appearances in the last 2 years

Given our propensity/penchant for buying players who either already had or ended up having injury/fitness issues, it really shouldn't be that much of a surprise to see us sign another player to join our already extensive list of 'walking wounded'.

[Insidious]

We seem to like buying/being linked to players who are past their prime and/or injury prone.

Speaking of injury-prone players (and the evasion thereof) we could do worse than Memphis Depay.

He's 27, think he's out of contract in the Summer, has developed since his Man United days, has made 36, 36, 13 and 30 (so far) appearances in his last 4 seasons (that "30") being the current season and has 14 goals in 30 appearances this season.

Firmino/Mane/Salah/Jota/Depay and a sixth "forward" wouldn't be at all bad for that end of the pitch and if he even had 4 good years of footie in him with us, it buys a little time for the replacement of one or two of our older forwards in the coming years - with Firmino being the one I would probably wean out first.

[Insidious]

Mohammed Bouhafsi (first to report that Fabinho was heading to us) works for RMC I believe, who are one of the more legitimate reporting bodies in France. They're saying Konate has done part of a medical over there.

If we are doing any business his Summer it would be great if it was early - keeps our stress levels in check during the latter stages of the window as fans, plus gives Klopp more time to work with the players ahead of next season.