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Ibrahima Konate is gearing up for a "more difficult" season as Liverpool aims to hold onto its Premier League title. The Reds are currently in Japan, wrapping up their pre-season Asia tour with a match against Yokohoma F Marinos on Wednesday.
Once its pre-season preparations are over, Liverpool kicks off its Premier League defense at Anfield against Bournemouth on Friday, August 15, looking to retain the trophy for the first time since 1984.
Konate acknowledges that the challenge ahead for Arne Slot's revamped team this season surpasses the efforts that led to securing a record-equalling 20th league title last year.
"Last season we came back with a new manager and he had a very good idea and he said before the season started what we have to do to win the Premier League," the French defender reflected.
"We just followed what he said and at the end we had a good result for the club.
"I think this season will be more difficult, because for sure we are happy and we don't have to forget last season, but we have to take the good parts of last season as well as the bad parts where we did not really great and work on that.
"We were champions last season and it's finished now, we have to go again and try to do something even better than last season. That's why the pre-season is very important.
"I know it's very difficult for everyone but we need these tough sessions to be ready for the season."
Konate's future at Liverpool is shrouded in uncertainty as he enters the final year of his contract, with negotiations over an extension hitting a snag. Real Madrid, one of the clubs behind the European Super League, is believed to be eyeing a move for the defender on a free transfer next summer.
Following Jarell Quansah's switch to Bayer Leverkusen earlier this month, Liverpool finds itself scouring the market for a new center-back, with Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi catching their eye.
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The Reds' summer expenditure soared past $330 million after they secured French forward Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt for an upfront fee of $92M just last week.
However, Konate, in a chat with liverpoolfc.com, has expressed his desire to temper expectations surrounding the club's recent signings.
"We brought in some great players to this team but I don't want to put some pressure on them," he remarked.
"We just have to give them the time to adapt because they don't know the Premier League now. But I'm sure with this team, with how the people in the team are around them, this adaptation will be easy for sure."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Liverpool ECHO by clicking here.
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