Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate is heading into the final season of his contract as things stand, but the Reds have been sent a message about the Frenchman’s future
Liverpool have been told not to panic if they end up losing Ibrahima Konaté — especially if they can bring in Marc Guehi as a replacement.
Former Reds winger Jermaine Pennant gave his take on talkSPORT, suggesting that swapping Konaté for the Crystal Palace captain wouldn’t be the worst thing. Both players have contracts running until summer 2026, but Liverpool are keen to tie Konaté down with an extension as he moves into his prime.
“Konaté’s got a year left, so let’s not put ourselves in a sticky situation,” Pennant said. “It does worry me a bit, but if we’re going to get Guehi, it doesn’t worry me as much — that’s a good like-for-like replacement.”
He praised Guehi’s credentials too: “He’s an England international, proven in the Premier League, and he’s won the FA Cup against Man City. So he can definitely hold his own against top players.”
Pennant summed it up simply: “If someone said, ‘You’ll lose Konaté but get Guehi,’ I’d take that. We need to think about players we’ll rely on in the future.”
Konaté, meanwhile, recently spoke out about the ongoing contract speculation. “Everything you saw on social media is completely fake,” he told reporters. “I didn’t even ask for anything from the club. They made an offer, I replied — that’s it.”
He was especially frustrated by rumors from top journalists suggesting a deal was close. “I was like, ‘They know more than me?!’ I was never close to signing. We’ll see what happens.”
Away from defence, Darwin Núñez could also be heading for the exit. There’s real interest from Napoli, and in January, he even had a chance to join a Saudi club.
Pennant didn’t hold back on his thoughts: “He’s had three seasons now. Every Liverpool fan — including myself — has been very, very patient with him.”
“We’ve all been waiting for that spark, waiting to say, ‘Alright, he’s got it now.’ But it just hasn’t happened.”
Pennant added that maybe a move would be better for all involved. “It’s not like he’s going to magically become world-class next season. I think we’ve seen what Núñez offers — whether it’s three years or six. For his mental health, his morale, his confidence — maybe it’s time to go somewhere new.”