Konate passes Liverpool medical

RB Lepizig defender Ibrahima Konate has passed his medical ahead of a proposed move to Liverpool, according to Fabrizio Romano, who adds that the Merseysiders are set to trigger Konate’s release clause set at €35 million and that everything is now practically done.

Liverpool paid a huge price for entering the 2020-21 season with only three designated senior centre-backs. Following season-ending injuries to Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip, they were forced into last-gasp winter signings of Ozan Kabak on loan from Schalke 04 and Ben Davies from Preston North End, who is yet to play a single minute for the Premier League side.

The signing of 21-year-old Konate is certainly a step in the right direction towards improving defensive stability of the squad under Jurgen Klopp’s command, but it raises the question whether Liverpool will take up the option of making the Kabak deal permanent for around €20 million. The Turkey international played reasonably well at the start of the loan, but injuries kept him out for the final six matches of the campaign.