Liverpool to open contract talks with defender despite Virgil van Dijk & Trent Alexander-Arnold the priority

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• EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey

Liverpool have started life under Arne Slot like a house on fire and they are sitting top of the Premier League table.

Naturally, you would have expected some hiccups from the Merseyside club when Slot replaced the legendary figure Jurgen Klopp.

But Liverpool’s professional 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday proves that they are going nowhere and seriously looking to challenge for the big honours pretty much straight away with their new manager.

For that to happen, including in the long-term, Slot needs his big-name players signed up to new contracts and there are some well-documented names out-of-contract pretty soon.

Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold have been spoken about, as well as in-form winger, Luiz Diaz.

But you can now add another name to that list.

Liverpool to open contract talks with Ibrahima Konate and Jarell Quansah

TBR Football can reveal that Liverpool will look to open contract talks with Ibrahim Konate in the coming months, with rising star Jarell Quansah also due for talks.

Whilst not next in line for a new deal, with the likes of Alexander-Arnold and Diaz in talks over extending their stays, Konate’s future is on their agenda.

Quansah enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last term and was on standby for England at Euro 2024.

Alexander-Arnold, Salah and van Dijk are out of contract at the end of the season and those talks are currently the priority along with Diaz.

Ibrahima Konate’s progression at Liverpool

There was a lot of hype when Liverpool paid RB Leipzig £36 million for Konate’s services in 2021 and you could see why with his performances.

Put aside the France international’s injury issues, he has been outstanding for the Reds when on that field of play and that has continued this season.

READ MORE: TalkSPORT pundit is scratching his head at what could happen at Liverpool in January

Sources have confirmed to TBR that new Liverpool head coach Slot is delighted with the progress that Konate has made since the start of the season.

The French defender has a deal until 2026, but TBR understands that Liverpool’s hierarchy will look to tie him down to an extension before the summer.