This season has been dominated by the expiring contracts of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
Incredibly, nearly midway through April, none of the trio have penned new deals and could all walk away for free in just a few months’ time. For Alexander-Arnold, that looks likely as a move to Real Madrid is expected, but recent reports have suggested Van Dijk and Salah will remain at Liverpool beyond the summer.
The former even admitted on Sunday, after the defeat to Fulham, that he has made “progress” on talks but wasn’t drawn on the nature of those “international discussions”.
The uncertainty surrounding three of the team’s star names is a situation Liverpool fans have not enjoyed, but one they could face again next season. Three of the current squad have deals that expire in June 2026: Caoimhin Kelleher, Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson.
Kelleher is expected to depart this summer, especially with the imminent arrival of Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia, while there is unlikely to be huge concern if Robertson were to walk away in 12 months’ time given his performance levels this season and the expectation that Liverpool will bring in a new left-back in the upcoming transfer market.
However, Konate presents a different problem. The defender has been a regular in Arne Slot’s side this season and, excluding a run of six matches he missed due to a knee injury, has played every Premier League match this term. Not since the opening weekend of the campaign has he been named on the bench, and his partnership with Van Dijk has been imperative to Liverpool’s success this season.
That alliance at the heart of defence looks under threat though given there has been no breakthrough on contract negotiations. Konate revealed in January that talks over a new deal have taken place, but as the player nears the final 12 months of his contract, there will be concerns that he might let his existing terms wind down at Anfield.
“Hearing big clubs like that being interested is very flattering, but now I’m focusing on this season; I want to win everything – take as many titles as possible and then everything that happens in relation to my contractual situation. It’s my agents, my advisors who take care of that,” Konate said in February.
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He has been linked with moves to Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, two clubs who will certainly offer more lucrative salaries than those typically doled out by FSG. Recent reports have suggested that the player wants a significant wage increase to remain at Liverpool, which has stalled any progress in negotiations.
According to the Times, Konate wants to double his wages – at least. He currently earns £80,000 weekly, but wants to sign a new deal closer to £200,000 per-week. Talks have been ongoing since last October.
Whether Konate stays with Liverpool beyond 2026 will be dependent on many factors, including whether he is keen on a move, particularly back to his home city of Paris. Wages will be an obvious issue, as will the team’s success (or lack of) next season and the general direction of the club under Slot.
Should Konate depart, losing one of the world’s best center-backs would be a huge blow for Liverpool – he will turn 27 in May 2026 and has years of development still ahead of him. It would also force Liverpool back into the transfer market to strengthen in an area that has been the bedrock of its success this season.
