Liverpool finds $75M Ibrahima Konate replacement as contract demand made

Liverpool is said to be considering a swoop for Tottenham center-back Micky van de Ven during the summer transfer window as the club aims to reinforce its defense

Micky van de Ven is being linked with a move to Liverpool(Image: 2026 CameraSport)

Liverpool has identified Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven as a possible defensive signing, amid the likelihood of Ibrahima Konate departing on a free transfer this summer.

Konate is into the final six months of his Reds deal, and talks over an extension at Liverpool have not resulted in a positive outcome.

Team Talk reports that Konate believes he should be among the highest-paid defenders in the Premier League, but the club believes his demands are too high. Despite Liverpool's failure so far to convince Konate to stay at the club, the Reds are not yet giving up on retaining the Frenchman, as they are keen to avoid losing a valuable asset for nothing.

The club will surely be under no illusions, though, that there is a strong possibility that Konate will leave.

Konate holds all the cards at the moment, as he knows he would be able to secure a significant signing-on fee if he were to join a new club.

Team Talk also reports that Tottenham's Van de Ven is on Liverpool's radar as the club looks to reinforce its defense ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Van de Ven is contracted to Spurs until 2029, and he has a market value of €65 million ($75 million), according to Transfermarkt.

The Reds are in a precarious position at center-half, with Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez also into the last 18 months of their deals.

Ibrahima Konate could leave Liverpool as a free agent(Image: 2026 Getty Images)

Van Dijk will turn 35 this year, too, while Gomez has been plagued by injuries throughout his time at Liverpool, and his fitness issues seem to be getting worse as he approaches 30.

Konate, Van Dijk and Gomez are the club's only fit center-backs at the moment.

Giovanni Leoni is the only other center-back in Liverpool's squad. The 19-year-old has been missing since September – and will miss the remainder of the season – due to a serious knee injury.

Liverpool was interested in signing Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, but the England international completed a move to Manchester City on Monday.

Guehi, who was denied a deadline day move to Liverpool by Palace last September, said: "This move feels like the culmination of all the hard work I have put into my career.

"I am now at the best club in England and part of an unbelievable squad of players."