Liverpool
Konaté and Liverpool at an impasse as wage demands complicate renewal
Konaté’s contract talks with Liverpool stall over pay; Madrid monitor as January approaches closely.
Ibrahima Konaté and Liverpool remain locked in delicate negotiations over a contract extension that have yet to move close to resolution. Talks have centred on salary, with the French defender believed to be earning significantly more than the widely reported figure of £70,000 ($94,000). Indeed, his real earnings are believed to be more than double that amount. That pay gap is central to the difficulty in talks, with Konaté seeking a rise that would place him alongside Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk among the club’s highest earners.
David Ornstein reports that the Frenchman has not yet formally turned down a new contract. Hope of an agreement has not been abandoned, but both sides are understood to be in a stalemate as Konaté approaches the final six months of his deal, leaving Liverpool vulnerable to outside approaches. Madrid are free to hold formal negotiations with Konaté as early as January, having already established their desire to get a deal done behind the scenes. That being said, it was recently reported that Madrid’s decision-makers are not all in agreement when it comes to a move for Konaté, with some inside the club believing he is not the right target. By contrast, everyone involved believed signing Alexander-Arnold was a no-brainer last season.
On the field, Konaté’s early form has left a lot to be desired and has attracted plenty of frustration from Liverpool fans. Manager Arne Slot was quick to remind supporters that the Frenchman is far from the only player to have fallen short of expectations this year. For now, negotiations will continue amid competing interests: Liverpool balancing squad continuity and wage structure, Konaté seeking a significant pay increase, and external clubs monitoring a contract that could be resolved or reassessed when January arrives.
Liverpool
Liverpool Rebuff Ajax Approach for Arne Slot as Ownership Signals Backing
Arne Slot was approached by Ajax but Liverpool ownership have confirmed he will stay in charge. 2026
Arne Slot was reportedly sounded out as a potential candidate to take charge of Dutch giants Ajax this coming summer. According to reporting, those enquiries were quickly unsuccessful, reinforcing Liverpool’s firm stance that Slot will remain manager.
The four-time European champions currently lie fourth in the Dutch league, 23 points adrift of champions PSV Eindhoven with only two matches of a miserable campaign remaining. Caretaker manager Óscar García is set to part ways with the club over the summer and the net of potential suitors has been cast by sporting director Jordi Cruyff. Mike Verweij of the Dutch publication De Telegraaf recently revealed that inquiries over Slot’s availability have been made by Ajax. They proved “futile.”
Verweij quoted sources who insisted: “Slot is still firmly in the driver’s seat; he’s just carrying on at Liverpool,” and added, “I also understand that Arne Slot isn’t particularly keen on joining Ajax at this point in his career.” Those lines of reporting underline a clear message from Liverpool and their decision-makers.
The club’s ownership has remained publicly unyielding even as performances have fallen from the title-winning campaign. “Fans get frustrated,” the head of Liverpool’s ownership company, Fenway Sports Group (FSG) told the Sports Business Journal this week. Boasting a majority stake in MLB franchise the Boston Red Sox as well as investment in NHL and NASCAR, Henry has developed a thick skin. “The Sox looked terrible for [their] first 25 games,” Henry continued. “I remember a plane flying overhead when we [Liverpool ] were beating Manchester United 7–0 that read ‘FSG OUT!’
“It doesn’t mean you ignore them, it means you work harder—you don’t settle for mediocrity. You have to win.”
Premier League statistics supplied in the report show the contrast between seasons:
2024–25: Games 38, Wins 25, Draws 9, Losses 4, Goals Scored 86, Goals Against 41, Goal Difference +45, Points 84.
2025–26: Games 35, Wins 17, Draws 7, Losses 11, Goals Scored 59, Goals Against 47, Goal Difference +12, Points 58.
Throughout FSG’s 16-year ownership of Liverpool, Henry has only sacked two managers: Roy Hodgson in January 2011 and Brendan Rodgers in October 2015 after a period of decline following the 2013–14 season.
Liverpool
Refereeing Calls and Costly Errors Defined Liverpool’s Day at Anfield
Slot blamed refereeing decisions and “stupid” mistakes as the defining themes of Liverpool’s season.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot admitted the 3–2 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday exposed the two dominant strands of his team’s season: contentious refereeing decisions and a handful of “stupid” mistakes from his players. He challenged one pivotal decision but also accepted his side’s sloppy play gave the moment its opportunity.
“If it was a touch, which I think it is, because if you know a bit about ball sports, you know that if a ball has a certain curve and the curve changes, there must have been a contact,” Slot said. He added: “But if it’s light then we should have a debate in football about whether that’s enough to disallow a goal. But the rule is if there was a touch then it should have been disallowed.”
Slot insisted the pattern of contentious decisions has been a recurring theme this season. “I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone this season that if there’s a VAR intervention or if there’s something that could be left or could be right then the decision goes against us. That has been the whole season every single time this season. I remember Paris Saint-Germain at home , getting a penalty for a soft touch on [Alexis] Mac Allister but of course the VAR intervenes and says, ‘No, no, no, this is not a penalty.’ Then one week later when I see Paris Saint-Germain play against Bayern Munich and get that same soft touch but the penalty stays.”
He contrasted incidents in which play was not stopped for injury with others where it was, and stressed self-examination. “We have to first look at ourselves, that is completely clear and obvious, but that decisions have gone every single game against us, that’s also completely clear and obvious.”
Slot noted moments of poor concentration and a turnover that led to the second goal: “we lost the ball in a stupid position and we lost a few big moments afterwards in duels.” The club appears settled on his future: his position is understood to be safe and Liverpool are keeping last season’s title in view. With Champions League qualification largely secure — six points clear with three games left — Slot must now map out how to correct the recurring faults exposed this campaign.
Liverpool
Isak Suffers Groin Setback but Slot Insists Recovery Will Be Short
Isak has suffered a groin setback after returning from a broken leg; Slot expects a short layoff…
Alexander Isak’s first months on Merseyside have been disrupted by injury and interrupted preparation. A disrupted preseason and a broken leg have prevented the striker enjoying a smooth debut campaign after his rise at St. James’ Park. He only recently returned from that major leg injury and, after a few sluggish outings, had appeared to be finding momentum again.
Isak scored his first Premier League goal at Anfield since he donned Saudi green for the Magpies, but he has suffered a fresh groin problem in training. The first reports of the issue emerged on Saturday and the knock was enough to rule him out of Sunday’s clash at Old Trafford. That absence followed a significant injury sustained at Tottenham Hotspur before Christmas, which ruled him out for the best part of four months.
Arne Slot spoke to Sky Sports before kick-off to outline the immediate impact on his squad and to express his frustration. He said: “After our last win against Palace, you go into the week and in the start you already know you’re going to miss out on Mo [Salah], and then during the week we miss out on Alex as well.
“But that’s not the first time this season. Arsenal away, we had our both No. 9s not available as well and we were able to play a good game. So, it is the situation to accept it.
“Of course, very unlucky and unhappy with the fact Alex picked up a small—really small—injury,” Slot fretted. “That’s why this game came a bit too early.”
Reports underline that the latest problem is not on the scale of his broken leg, and Slot has been optimistic about a swift recovery for his costly recruit. Isak had dealt with a few nagging issues at Newcastle, and those problems have not ceased since his move. Despite the setback and with just three Premier League games remaining, these comments suggest Isak’s season may still continue.
