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Ibrahima Konate must continue positive development into 2023/24

By Joseph Copeland

KARLSRUHE, GERMANY - JULY 19: Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool controls the ball during the pre-season friendly match between Karlsruher SC and Liverpool FC at BBBank Wildparkstadion on July 19, 2023 in Karlsruhe, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
KARLSRUHE, GERMANY - JULY 19: Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool controls the ball during the pre-season friendly match between Karlsruher SC and Liverpool FC at BBBank Wildparkstadion on July 19, 2023 in Karlsruhe, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images) /
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When Liverpool FC splashed £36 million to bring in the then 22 year-old Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig, it was seen as an astute piece of business. The young French international was one of the best young Center Backs in the Bundesliga.

Now, at 24 years old, Konate has had to fight through some injury bugs, but he seems to have cleared those hurdles and has become a standout performer in defense.

His size and speed are absolutely vital attributes. They have become particularly more important now that Virgil van Dijk has seemingly lost a half-step of pace. The combination of a major knee injury and age have hampered the Dutchman.

However, he is still a top defender but having a physical force like Konate next to him must give Jurgen Klopp some peace of mind.

The Premier League is full of big powerful strikers such as Michail Antonio and Erling Haaland. Pacy forwards such as Aleksander Isak, Brennan Johnson and Mykhailo Mudryk are weekly threats.

Konate is a wonderful blend of physical gifts that allows him to deal with all kinds of players. His on ball skill is solid and still improving.

With van Dijk on the wrong side of 30, and Joel Matip nearing the end of his stay at Liverpool, there will soon come a time when Konate will be seen as the No. 1 defender on the roster. I believe he has this ability in him without question.

However, before he reaches that point there is still some growth that can be done. His overall reading of the game is very good, but there have been an occasional lapse in concentration that allows chances that might not have arisen otherwise.

His speed allows him to make up for misreading a play by himself or teammates. In addition, he is superb in the air. Whether it’s attacking goal or defending his own the big Frenchman will typically be a favorite to win his duel.

Combined with Virgil’s aerial prowess, the Reds might have the best air defense system in the league.

Next. How much time does Van Dijk have left?. dark

Something that still needs to be cleaned up is his discipline. With his physical tools, including long legs, he is very aggressive when closing down in one-on-one situations. As a result, he does commit a few more fouls per match than are necessary.

His short passing game is at a high-level but if he could add the long diagonal ball that Liverpool’s No. 4 is known for, that would take his game to the next level.

Imagine, the year is 2026 and Konate is confidently pinging long balls to Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez.  A tantalizing prospect for Reds fans.

Hopefully that timeline can be moved up by a few years.

Looking ahead to the 2023/24 season, Liverpool have major ambitions of silverware on the their radar. If they are to reach those goals, staying healthy aside, they will need players like Konate and Nunez to take the next step.

Konate is already one of the better central defenders in England, but he has only begun to scratch the surface of what he can truly bring to a team. Working with Klopp and Virgil might be the best pair of coaches he could have to reach those lofty levels.

At 24, he has both time and resources on his side. If he utilizes his surroundings to the best of his ability, we could be talking about a World Class centre-half for the next half decade or more.