Ibrahima Konate has been tipped to prove himself as Liverpool’s defensive mainstay in the near future by Anfield hero John Barnes.
Konate made the move to Anfield last summer in what was Liverpool splashing the cash in the transfer market for the first and final time heading into the start of the new campaign.
The Frenchman’s time out on the pitch has been limited owing to Klopp’s first-choice centre-back pairing in Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip cementing their berths on the team sheet but in his limited involvement, Konate has shown promise of growing into a more composed figure at the back.
He has been a regular for Liverpool in the Carabao Cup where his side are yet to concede a single goal while he has been on the pitch as the Merseysiders go up against Chelsea in next month’s final at Wembley.
In an interview with BonusCodeBets, ex-Liverpool and England forward Barnes insists that Konate will emerge as the central figure in the defensive lineup at Anfield following his swift adaption to the Premier League.
“Ibrahima Konaté is a player for the future and one who will eventually take over this defence. It will take Ibrahima sometime to bed himself into this team, similarly to Fabinho when he first arrived at the club.”
“The fact that Joel is doing so well and playing regularly doesn’t necessarily spell the end for the likes of Joe Gomez at Anfield either.
“If you look at the age of the other central defenders, Ibrahima Konaté aside Gomez is one of the youngest. Joe [Gomez] is a fantastic player and an England international, I’m sure Liverpool would love to keep him too.”
