Liverpool set to sell Ibrahima Konaté? Five defenders that could replace the want-away star

Having already signed three first team players for a combined €214 million and sold a further four for €63.3m, Liverpool have undoubtedly been one of the busiest clubs in the summer transfer window. However, fresh reports now suggest that the Anfield club may be forced to jump back into the transfer market to find a ready-made replacement for one of their most important players. 

According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté has informed the club of his intentions to join Real Madrid when his current contract expires next summer. The Premier League side have  reportedly spent much of the year trying to sign the French talent up to a new contract, but it now seems as though Konaté has forced his hand. As a result, fresh reports in England now suggest that the Premier League champions are intent on selling the central defender this summer, rather than let him leave for free in 12 months time. 

That, undoubtedly, would lead to Liverpool needing to sign a player capable of stepping into Konaté’s role in Arne Slot’s starting XI. The club could turn to Joe Gomez to play alongside Virgil Van Dijk, but it seems more than likely that they’ll sign another central defender if Konaté is sold. So which defenders could Liverpool add to their shopping list this summer? Here’s what the Transfermarkt database suggests.  

Marc Guéhi - Crystal Palace

The first name on the list of potential replacements for Konaté at Liverpool undoubtedly has to be Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi. Since making the move to Selhurst Park in 2021, Guéhi has gone from strength to strength at the club, not only emerging as an England international but also one of the most coveted young defenders in English football. That has led to plenty of speculation around the 24-year-old talent, with numerous reports linking the player with a move to Anfield. However, it remains to be seen how much Palace would demand for their star defender and whether Liverpool would be willing to match such demands when other options are available on the market. 

Ilya Zabarnyi - Bournemouth 

Another Premier League prospect that has garnered a lot of praise and attention in the last two seasons is Bournemouth defender Ilya Zabarnyi. Many would have raised an eyebrow when the Cherries spent €22.7m on the Ukrainian talent in 2023 but since then Zabarnyi has developed into an exceptional defender, who has managed to couple solid defending in one-v-one situations with an obvious comfort when he has the ball at his feet. As such, his market value has risen from €18m to €42m during his time at Bournemouth and he may be the perfect defensive candidate for a top four club in the Premier League. Reports have suggested that Paris Saint-Germain are also keen on signing the young defender, but it remains to be seen where he'll play his football next season. 

 

Piero Hincapié - Bayer Leverkusen 

If Liverpool want to look outside of the Premier League, they may be tempted to return to Bayer Leverkusen to sign yet another one of their star players. In Piero Hincapié, the Bundesliga side have an exceptional, defensive prospect who has shown over the course of his last four years at Leverkusen that he’s an excellent ball-playing central defender that can play at the highest level. With a market value of €55m - making him the club’s most valuable player and the 12th most valuable central defender in the world - Hincapié wouldn’t be cheap. However, he could be the perfect long-term solution to the hole Konaté seems determined to leave in Slot’s back line. 

 

António Silva - Benfica 

Another young defender who looks destined for a move to England’s top-flight is Benfica star António Silva. Having just completed his third full season with the Liga Portugal giants, Silva has quickly established himself as an excellent central defender with all the hallmarks of a top-class player in the making. Although he might not show the same physicality as Konaté, his dribbling and passing couple well with his excellent one-v-one defending and could compliment Van Dijk perfectly next season. However, like Hincapié, he’ll likely cost a considerable amount of money. 

 

Joel Ordóñez - Club Brugge 

If Liverpool wanted to take a more unorthodox approach to replacing Konaté, they could instead turn to Belgian side Club Brugge and their exceptional young defender Joel Ordóñez. The 21-year-old talent swapped Colombia’s top flight for Club NXT (Brugge’s feeder team) in 2022, but needed only a season to prove he was good enough for the main club’s first team. Since the summer of 2023, Ordóñez’s market value has skyrocketed from €1.5m to €28m, making him one of the most intriguing defensive talents in European football. And with a fantastic capacity to pick out forward passes and dribble with the ball, Ordóñez may be perfectly suited to playing for a dominant side like Liverpool in the Premier League.