Ibrahima Konaté looks set to leave Liverpool after failing to agree a contract extension.
The 27-year-old’s representatives have been in extensive talks with the club about extending his five-year stay at Anfield but it now looks certain that the France international will leave for free.
If Konaté walks away from Liverpool out of contract, it will be the second consecutive year – after Trent Alexander-Arnold ran down his deal before a £10m move to Real Madrid – that the club will have lost one of their first-choice defenders without receiving a significant fee.
Konaté has had a disappointing season but losing an established centre-back will come as a blow for the sporting director Richard Hughes, with new defensive recruits Jérémy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni both working their way back to fitness after significant injuries and transfer speculation swirling over the future of Joe Gomez.
With Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson also leaving, Konaté’s departure would mean another mainstay of the Jürgen Klopp era departing. The Paris-born player is now likely to be courted by Paris Saint-Germain, although Chelsea have also been linked with a move.
In April the defender hinted he would like to stay at Anfield when he opened up about the contract negotiations.
He said: “My future? There are many things people have said but for a long time we have spoken with the club and we are close to an agreement. I think everyone wished for that for as long as possible but we are in a good way.
“There is a big chance I’m here next season. This is what I always wanted. I’m waiting to sort the contract but when everything is sorted you will have to ask Richard [Hughes, Liverpool’s sporting director] what I said to him in September, November and he’s going to say something to make everyone quiet.”