Ibrahima Konate in talks with four clubs as Liverpool endgame nears

Liverpool’s grip on Ibrahima Konate is loosening by the day. The 26-year-old centre-back is out of contract at season’s end and, as matters stand, is heading for a free-transfer exit from Anfield.

Although the Reds have not abandoned hope of persuading the French international to extend his stay, sporting director Richard Hughes has pencilled in an Easter deadline for fresh terms to be agreed, according to TEAMtalk. Negotiations have so far failed to bridge the gap between club and player, prompting Liverpool to confront the very real prospect of losing a key defender for nothing.

Konate has been eligible to speak with foreign suitors since January, and the report states he has already taken up that invitation. Heavyweight European sides are now at the table, intensifying the pressure on Hughes and the Liverpool hierarchy to secure a resolution within weeks or resign themselves to an increasingly likely departure.

With the clock ticking and four clubs now in direct dialogue with the player, the coming fortnight could decide whether Konate remains a Red beyond the summer or begins a new chapter on the continent.