Ibrahima Konate will leave Liverpool, the Premier League confirmed on Thursday, adding a major defensive departure to the upheaval of a managerial change at Anfield.T1 - Premier League
The centre-back’s exit follows Liverpool’s decision to part company with head coach Arne Slot earlier on Thursday, with the club appointing Andoni Iraola as his replacement on a deal running through the summer of 2029.T1 - Premier League Konate’s departure is expected to accelerate a defensive rebuild, with the French international understood to have attracted interest from several top European clubs.
The Premier League confirmed both the Konate exit and the Slot sacking in a single sequence of announcements on Thursday afternoon, with Slot’s farewell letter to Liverpool fans published simultaneously.T1 - Premier League No fee or destination for Konate has been disclosed at this stage.
Iraola’s arrival, confirmed via a club interview published by the Premier League, signals a new era at Anfield after Slot’s tenure ended following a run of disappointing results. Omar Berrada, Liverpool’s chief executive, said the club has “to be agile and flexible, but have a clear plan” when it comes to transfers.T1 - Premier League
Konate, 25, made 156 appearances for Liverpool after joining from RB Leipzig in 2021, forming a central defensive partnership with Virgil van Dijk that carried the club through two Premier League title races and a Champions League final. His departure leaves a significant hole in Iraola’s defensive options ahead of the January window.
Liverpool have not confirmed the timeline for a formal announcement on Konate’s next club. Iraola’s first press conference is expected on Friday.
