Time for Richard Hughes to open talks for £400k contract renewal
Liverpool are reported to have reached a contract breakthrough with Ibrahima Konate.The 26-year-old defender has confirmed that an agreement is close over a new deal - which will tie him to the Premie...
Time for Richard Hughes to open talks for £400k contract renewal Liverpool are reported to have reached a contract breakthrough with Ibrahima Konate. The 26-year-old defender has confirmed that an agreement is close over a new deal - which will tie him to the Premier League champions beyond this summer. Even with Konate tied down there is set to be significant disruption in the centre of Liverpool’s defence over the coming year.
Lots of new defenders have been signed - with Giovanni Leoni being joined by Mor Talla Ndiaye, Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Jeremy Jacquet as new faces at the AXA Training Centre come summer. Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk are both out of contract in 2027 meanwhile - meaning an experience gap opening up at the heart of Arne Slot’s backline. There have been links to established names - for example Alessandro Bastoni and Nico Schlotterbeck - but none of those are as good as Van Dijk.
Liverpool should renew Van Dijk's contract In fact it is probably time for sporting director Richard Hughes to consider offering the captain another renewal - even at this relatively early juncture. The end of next season represents a hard stop for Van Dijk - following his record-breaking £75m arrival from Southampton in 2018. Last season the Netherlands’ skipper was signed up on a mammoth £400k per week deal - ensuring continuity beyond the Premier League title win.
And while the jury has been out on a few occasions this season - with Van Dijk committing some uncharacteristic errors - he remains one of the best around. Whether it’s winning aerial duels - or scoring goals at the other end - Van Dijk is peerless. And with so many youngsters arriving it makes sense to tie him down for another year.