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The end of another year approaches, and that of course means Liverpool is set for more contract drama.
It feels like the Reds go through almost the exact same cycle around this time every 12 months - at least one big name enters the final throes of his deal, rival clubs start sniffing around him, and all the while, no one really seems to know whether they’re coming or going.
We might not have the same level of drama as last year, when the prospect of losing Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold all at the same time made for a hugely worrying end to the season, but there is still another big question to be answered this time around.
Ibrahima Konate is the main concern. The defender will be able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with any foreign club of his choosing in just over a month’s time, and once again, it’s Real Madrid that seems to leading the chase for his signature.
Not that Liverpool is giving up on him signing a new deal at Anfield, with Konate himself confirming that his representatives remain in talks over potentially extending his stay on Merseyside.
“I've seen a lot of things,” Konate said while away on international duty with France. “Liverpool have reportedly made me a new offer, I don't know where that information came from.
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“My agents are still in discussions with Liverpool. I hope my decision will be made very soon so I can announce it.”
The obvious question for Konate is just how soon does he mean? If it’s before January, then that could be good news for Liverpool. If it’s after, that’s a little more worrying.
Regardless of the timeline, the fact that Konate is even discussing his contract situation - and in such open terms - should only be considered a good thing by supporters.
Fans have been growing a tad impatient with the 26-year-old, something he himself is more than aware of. His inconsistent performances this season haven’t helped in that regard, but at least he isn’t hiding away from the bigger picture.
In that sense, it feels like he may have learned from Alexander-Arnold’s exit. In many ways, it feels like we’re going through a repeat of that saga, only Konate isn’t burying his head in the sand and avoiding broaching the subject that everyone else is talking about.
Alexander-Arnold’s silence last season didn’t help his cause in any way, and contributed to the ill-feeling that eventually greeted his decision to leave. Konate might still end up going down the same route and follow his former teammate to the Bernabeu, but at least he is keeping fans in the loop on the situation.
That might not be enough for some supporters, but it is a much more palatable approach than the one Alexander-Arnold took, and like Salah around the same time last year, it might force Liverpool to get a move on.
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