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Ibrahima Konate credited his five brothers with turning him into the person and player he is today.
The French defender handed Liverpool an injury scare last week when he was forced off during the defeat to Chelsea on Saturday. Konate was included in the France team for Thursday's game against Azerbaijan, but didn't feature. He then withdrew on Saturday.
On the field, Konate is a commanding no-nonsense center-back, but the defender has revealed that away from it, his siblings have kept him humble. Konate is the youngest of six brothers, and believes the influence of older siblings Diawoye, Sirima, Mamby, Sikou and Moriba have helped to keep him grounded.
“I became the player I am today thanks to each one of them," Konate told Ouest-France. "From my first steps at Paris Universite Club twenty years ago to Liverpool, they have always been a fundamental help.”
Konate revealed that when he moved to RB Leipzig in 2017, he did not make any lavish purchases due to concerns his brothers would think that he had changed as a person.
"I didn’t spend anything at all on hedonistic and personal pleasures," he added. "No new car, no clothes, no shoes. Nothing. I was too afraid they’d tell me I’d changed.“
He was eventually told by one of his brothers to treat himself, admitting: "I’m not going to lie to you: I overdid it a bit, especially with clothes.“
With many wealthy soccer players having to tread carefully when it comes to choosing who to include in their entourage, Konate is grateful that he has his family surrounding him, as he knows they will always want the best for him.
“You have no idea how much footballers need them [family]," Konate said. "Many people, more or less well-intentioned, roam around us.
"95 per cent of them come because I’m Konate, the football player, and not Ibrahima, the person. They want to take advantage of my fame, but they don’t really care about me (…) As soon as someone wants to approach me, they filter them out.“
Konate will surely be leaning on his family for advice as he takes a big decision on his future in the next few months.
The France international is set to become a free agent next year, and has been linked with a free transfer to Real Madrid as well as boyhood club Paris Saint-Germain.
Liverpool, meanwhile, is being linked with Dayot Upamecano, who is also set to become a free agent, as a possible replacement for Konate next year.
Upamecano has been offered a new contract by Bayern Munich but he is not happy with the terms of it, and could leave the club for free next summer.
Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace is also likely to be available as a free agent next year, but Liverpool could face stiff competition to sign him — despite coming close to landing the England international last month: Guehi is also being linked with Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.
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