Konate to leave Liverpool after contract not renewed

June 1 : France defender Ibrahima Konate will end a five-year spell at Liverpool when his contract expires next month, the Premier League club said on Sunday.

The 27-year-old, who joined from RB Leipzig in 2021 for a fee of £36 million ($48 million), had said in April he was close to agreeing a new deal.

However, British media reported that discussions came to an end over wages, with Konate becoming the third player after Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson to leave the Merseyside club as a free agent this season.

In a post on social media, Konate said he was deeply saddened he could not bid farewell to fans after their final home game against Brentford.

"Anfield is truly a special place, and playing in front of you was something I never took for granted... At that moment, I didn't know it would be my final time wearing this shirt in front of you," he added.

Konate was an integral part of Liverpool's title-winning side in the 2024-25 season, forming a formidable defensive partnership with captain Virgil van Dijk.

He also won two League Cups and the FA Cup, and finished runner-up in the Champions League in 2022, during his time at Liverpool.

($1 = £0.7434)