---
title: "Fabrizio Romano claims Ibrahima Konate deal is ‘really close’"
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/news/fabrizio-romano-claims-ibrahima-konate-deal-is-really-close/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dan Clubbe"
section: "Liverpool News"
published: "2021-05-06T07:00:00Z"
modified: "2021-05-06T07:00:00Z"
---

# Fabrizio Romano claims Ibrahima Konate deal is ‘really close’

[Liverpool](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2021/05/05/simon-hughes-says-curtis-jones-stood-out-from-academy-days/) are believed to be edging towards their first confirmed summer signing as Jurgen Klopp begins to cast one eye on the 2021/22 campaign.

Having endured an injury-ravaged season on the back of ending a 30-year wait to lift the Premier League, the German manager would be excused for wishing the [remaining five matches](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/match/2020-21/first-team/fixtures-and-results) away.

The Reds have been decimated by long-term injuries at various points in the campaign, especially in the [central defensive department](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/liverpool/van-dijk-gomez-henderson-matip-injuries-b1833086.html).

According to the reputable and richly acclaimed Fabrizio Romano, Klopp is now ‘really, really close’ to landing the first solution to the Anfield woes – [Ibrahima Konate](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2021/05/04/liverpool-konate-youth-transfers/).

He told [talkSPORT](https://twitter.com/talkSPORT/status/1389898417036537864) that confirmation of the deal won’t be far away.

> Twitter: Liverpool set to complete Konate deal #LFC
>
> https://t.co/0ilicI7mCV (@talkSPORT)

> It is really, really close. it is just a matter of time. The agreement with the player is done. They want to sign the player. It is just a case of the clubs negotiating. The player wants to go. It is a five-year contract. In some weeks, it will be complete.

Liverpool look set to pay RB Leipzig the reported £30.5million release clause ([Mail](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9506549/Liverpool-set-finalise-signing-Ibrahima-Konate-paying-30-5m-release-clause.html)) to sign the 21-year-old Frenchman, who was [described](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/Bundesliga/rb-leipzig-sign-french-defender-ibrahima-konate-sochaux-446529.jsp) as ‘highly-gifted’ by German coach Ralf Rangnick.

### READ LIVERPOOL VERDICT

Valued at £31.5million ([Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ibrahima-konate/marktwertverlauf/spieler/357119)), singing Konate would undoubtedly be a major step in the right direction in terms of bolstering the defensive department at Klopp’s disposal.

Providing reliably assurances have been made over what is a [worrying injury record](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ibrahima-konate/verletzungen/spieler/357119), the Reds could have a fearsome defender in the midst for years to come.

Perhaps the biggest question in all of this is – what does it mean for [Ozan Kabak’s future](https://www.90min.com/posts/liverpool-ready-to-pay-ozan-kabak-clause-exclusive) on Merseyside?