Liverpool's obvious free Ibrahima Konate replacement could be staring Richard Hughes in the face

Liverpool will likely be in the market for multiple new central defenders during the summer transfer window, and one of them will be available for free

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes(Image: Getty Images)

At the end of the season, Liverpool could lose two players who have been huge for the club in recent years... for nothing.

Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate are both coming to the end of their contracts on Merseyside, and at the moment it seems unlikely that either player will be at the club next season.

Robertson turns 32 in March and has lost his place in the team to Milos Kerkez this season, with the Scot lining up just 11 times for the Reds in all competitions.

Konate, meanwhile, remains a first-choice pick under Arne Slot, but Liverpool has so far failed to reach a breakthrough in talks with the Frenchman over an extension at Anfield.

The 26-year-old has been linked with a move to a top European club on a free transfer, with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain the two clubs that have been the subject of the heaviest speculation over a move for Konate.

Should Konate leave, that would bring Liverpool down to just three senior central defenders: Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez – whose own contracts are due to expire next year – and Giovanni Leoni, who suffered a season-ending injury last September.

The Reds were interested in signing Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, only for him to complete a move to Manchester City last week, so they will have to turn their attention elsewhere in the summer.

One option could be to turn to City defender John Stones, who also looks set to become a free agent when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Stones has had his injury problems in recent times, but signing him on a free transfer on modest wages would mitigate the risk involved in bringing him in.

John Stones is set to become a free agent at the end of the season(Image: 2025 James Gill - Danehouse)

When available, Stones is a top operator, and his fitness record is not exactly catastrophic: he has averaged 29 appearances per season for City since he joined the club in 2016.

Pep Guardiola voiced his frustration at City's injury situation over the weekend, stating: “We have incredible doctors, incredible physios, [working] 24 hours [a day]. I believe Johan Cruyff - my mentor, my idol, my everything. When he said to me ‘when a player doesn’t [want to] be injured, they will not be injured’.

“There are situations [where they are] unlucky, but when you are incredible [in shape] and you don’t want to be injured, you will not be injured. Unfortunately we have a lot, that is the problem that we have right now.”

There is clearly a dig at Stones in there somewhere, and it seems certain that the former Everton defender will leave the Etihad Stadium club in the summer.

He would be worth a punt on a free transfer, just as James Milner was when he joined Liverpool on a free transfer from City 11 years ago.