Ibrahima Konate has boldly claimed he will become a better player than Liverpool teammate Virgil van Dijk.
The pair have formed a superb partnership at the heart of the Reds’ defense, with Konate firmly establishing himself as Van Dijk’s first-choice partner now under Arne Slot. The Frenchman has also improved on his availability this season after being hit with injury problems during his first few years at the club, having joined from RB Leipzig in 2021.
Whether they will be able to continue that partnership beyond this season though is still unknown amid the uncertainty surrounding Van Dijk’s future. The 33-year-old, along with Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, is set to be out of contract in the summer, with the defender admitting recently he still has “no idea” what the future holds for him.
Losing Van Dijk would come as a huge blow to Liverpool, with the Netherlands international having played such a pivotal role in the club’s success over recent years. Konate though has insisted he will become an even better player – and he hasn’t been shy of telling his defensive partner that.
“With Virgil we know how good he is, how special he is, what he’s been doing for years,” Konate told Sky Sports. “He’s so good. Like I’ve said previously, I will be better than you one day, that’s why I work very hard everyday to achieve this.
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“It’s crazy how many Man of the Match he gets this season. It’s very good to play with Virg, but sometimes people who watch the game they think it’s only Virgil who plays. I’m not jealous, but watch the game and it will tell you the truth.”
Despite Konate eventually looking to overtake Van Dijk, the Frenchman has previously hinted that he wants his fellow defender to extend his stay at Anfield beyond this season, having praised the impact he’s had on his career.
“When I was in Leipzig I watched some games of Liverpool and I didn’t realise how good he was,” Konate said back in February. “Then when I came here, sometimes I’d think, ‘No! How is this possible?’ And now I think because he’s too good, some strikers see Virgil and are just thinking: ‘I have no chance against him.’
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“On the pitch I need him and I think it’s the same way for him, hopefully! I know how good he can be for me and we just work together and try to be the best partnership in the world. For me personally, before I had my injury [in late November] I think we were on the top level and I think a lot of people felt that as well, but we know that we just have to keep going in this way.”
Liverpool.com says: Konate can certainly consider himself to be one of the world’s top defenders now, but he still has some way to go before he reaches the sort of levels Van Dijk has been at. The Frenchman still needs to deliver a bit more consistently, and make sure he’s available as often as Van Dijk, but this season has shown he is on the right track.
