Liverpool
Konaté Said to Be ‘More Likely’ to Remain at Liverpool Amid Wage Talks
Reportedly more likely to stay Konate faces wage negotiations that must be settled before 2026 soon.
Ibrahima Konaté is now reported to be “more likely” to remain at Liverpool than to leave, even as negotiations over a new contract continue. The centre back is a regular starter and his contract situation has become a notable issue for the club given his importance to the defensive pairing.
The Athletic now claim that the Frenchman is “more likely” to belatedly reach an agreement with Liverpool rather than move elsewhere, although the formal signing remains unfinished. The 26-year-old has previously sought to dismiss exaggerated reports about demands. “I didn’t even ask for something from the club,” the 26-year-old insisted. “They made me an offer, and I replied to them with something, that is it.” He also gave a public timetable, promising an outcome “very soon.”
Reports indicate the dispute centres on salary. Konaté is reported to earn about $199,000 per week under his current terms and is understood to be seeking pay that reflects the club’s top earners. For context within the squad, Mohamed Salah is listed on $640,000 per week with a contract through 2027, Virgil van Dijk on $540,000 to 2027, Alexander Isak on $400,000 to 2031, Ryan Gravenberch on $372,000 to 2032 and Florian Wirtz on $330,000 to 2030.
Gravenberch’s recent extension is thought to have placed him among the club’s highest earners, and Salah’s departure in the summer will remove his $640,000 weekly figure from the wage bill. It is not believed Konaté is demanding wages on the scale of van Dijk or Salah.
Potential suitors have become fewer as the season has progressed. Dayot Upamecano’s extension at Bayern Munich likely removed that club from contention, Paris Saint-Germain’s interest has been downplayed and Real Madrid reportedly withdrew from the pursuit in November. Konaté’s future therefore appears set for resolution with Liverpool, though the paperwork has still to be finalised.
Liverpool
Alisson out until season end as Salah and Isak return for City cup tie
Alisson out until the end of the season; Salah fit for City. Isak back but will be managed carefully
Liverpool received a mixed injury bulletin ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup quarterfinal at Manchester City. Manager Arne Slot confirmed that first-choice goalkeeper Alisson will not be available for a sustained period, a significant setback before a demanding run of fixtures.
Slot said: “He will not be part of the Paris Saint-Germain games as well,” the Liverpool boss sighed. “He will be out for a bit longer. Towards the end of the season we expect him to be fit again.” That timeline means Alisson will not miss the World Cup, but his absence leaves the club light in goal ahead of the Etihad tie, both legs of the Champions League quarterfinal against Paris Saint-Germain and the Merseyside derby at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium. Liverpool then finish the campaign with matches against Manchester United, Chelsea and Aston Villa as they fight for Champions League qualification.
There was better news elsewhere. Mohamed Salah is available for the trip to City after recovering from a muscular problem that kept him out of the defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion. He had been rested by Egypt during the international break. Slot defended Salah’s commitment following recent news of his future: “Mo has always given everything for this club,” the Dutch boss insisted. “What has happened since he announced it is what he completely deserves.”
Alexander Isak has also returned to training, although Slot urged caution over his minutes. “It will definitely be too fast to expect him in the starting lineup,” the manager bluntly declared. “He trained with us yesterday for the first time and today for the second time after exactly 101 days,” Slot continued. “So, it will take a bit of time to give him a lot of minutes. We will make sure we do the right thing in terms of building him up in minutes, but it’s a very good thing to have him on the training ground again. It would be even a better thing to have him available for games, that’s for sure.” When asked about Isak’s role on Saturday he offered only limited optimism: “Maybe a few minutes,” and added “but let’s wait and see how it is.”
Finally, confirmation that Jeremie Frimpong has returned to full training was a positive development. The Netherlands right back limped off while on international duty in March, prompting fresh concern in a problematic position, but Slot confirmed he has resumed full training since that scary moment.
Liverpool
Gerrard: Give Arne Slot Time Despite ‘Really Dire’ Runs
Steven Gerrard says Arne Slot should be given time to fix Liverpool after ‘really dire’ displays…
Steven Gerrard has urged restraint over calls to dismiss Arne Slot, arguing the former Feyenoord coach should be allowed time to resolve Liverpool’s problems despite a run of poor displays.
There have been widespread calls among Liverpool supporters for the club to sack the ex-Feyenoord coach, but Gerrard has issued caution over parting ways with a manager that helped the Reds clinch only their second ever Premier League trophy.
“He has [got credit in the bank] with me because more than anyone on the planet, I know how difficult it is to win a league,” Gerrard told the Stick to Football podcast . “And for him to come in and win a league in his first season, being asked questions in the media a long time, what do you think, does it need to change and blah, blah, blah … He’s got a lot more credit with me.
“You know how difficult it is. Jamie [Carragher] will tell you, the Liverpool demand, they expect to win it every year. So I think he needs the opportunity to sort of play himself out of trouble and fix the issues and try and get himself back in a good place.”
The 45-year-old added: “I think someone who’s won a league deserves at least a full season to try and get out of the problems and the issues that they’ve got.
“I’m certainly one of those people, but I have to understand what the fans are saying as well, because it has been dire in certain games and performances. Really dire.”
Liverpool will hope the March international break offered a reset after the Reds were beaten by Brighton & Hove Albion just before the hiatus. The need for a swift recovery is underlined by a testing week ahead that could shape Slot’s immediate future.
Liverpool begin by visiting Manchester City in an FA Cup quarterfinal on Saturday. Defeat at the Etihad Stadium eliminates another route to silverware, and the Reds then travel to reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal tie. As Liverpool know all too well from last season, PSG are a formidable foe, and a hefty defeat at the Parc des Princes would leave Slot’s side on the precipice.
Liverpool
Gerrard Urges Salah Not to Leave ‘Under a Cloud’ as Exit Options Narrow
Gerrard warned Salah not to ‘go under a cloud’ after December’s outburst and urged restraint ahead.
Steven Gerrard has revealed he spoke privately with Mohamed Salah after the forward publicly accused the club of casting him aside, warning him against departing Liverpool amid controversy. Gerrard said he sensed an issue following Salah’s explosive comments in early December, which were sparked by frustration at being benched.
Those remarks briefly made it feasible that the Egypt international could have travelled to the Africa Cup of Nations and completed a move in January, potentially never playing for Liverpool again. Gerrard, a guest on Stick to Football, believes the episode may be something Salah later regrets. He said: “That told me that there was an issue. Going back before that, I think Liverpool as a club probably only wanted to give Mo Salah [a contract for] one year rather than the two.
“It’s in everyone’s interests for it to end, but also on Mo Salah’s terms. I spoke to him around that interview [in December] and said to him, ‘Look, don’t do what you’ve done and go under a cloud.’”
Manager Arne Slot handled the fallout and was quick to describe the matter as water under the bridge, prioritising the club’s second-half season. That approach leaves Salah with the chance to deliver a lengthy farewell on the pitch.
Former Liverpool defender Škrtel, who left a year before Salah arrived from Roma in 2017, paid tribute to the forward’s nine-year impact. Škrtel told The Football Historian after a recent Legends match: “Obviously he decided to leave and we have to accept it, we wish him all the best for the future, but obviously we’ll be missing him.
“But that’s football, players leaving and new ones coming, but definitely Mo leaves a legacy behind him and I’m just happy that he was wearing our shirt. I just wish him good luck for the future.”
There is no firm decision on Salah’s next destination. Bayern Munich have distanced themselves from approach rumours, while moves to Paris Saint-Germain or Barcelona appear unlikely. Salah seems destined for Major League Soccer or the Saudi Pro League, both offering sizable wages. Gerrard, who briefly played for LA Galaxy after leaving Liverpool in 2015 and later managed Al Ettifaq, has not offered a full endorsement of those competitions’ quality.
