Liverpool have enjoyed years of success under Jurgen Klopp, and it’ll be a sad day when he departs Anfield at the end of the season.
From the ‘heavy metal football’ Klopp has championed at Liverpool, to the amazing academy pathway, things have really been great at Anfield in recent years.
And that’s before getting on the multitude of trophies the Reds have won since he took the reins back in 2015, including the Premier League and the Champions League.
There have been some outstanding signings during that time. One thing Klopp has been great at doing is ensuring continuity within the squad.
For instance, when Liverpool signed Ibrahima Konate in 2021, he arrived amid strong competition at the back, but with a view to the future as well as the present.
The Frenchman, then 22, arrived from RB Leipzig after the Reds triggered his £36million release clause.
Ibrahima Konate shining for Liverpool
Konate made 29 appearances for Liverpool in his first season, mostly starting in the Champions League and FA Cup as Klopp rotated his players.
He made 11 starts in the Premier League but had to make do with a place on the bench most of the time as Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip started the bulk of the top-flight games.
The following season, things didn’t go to plan for Konate, who missed a lot of games due to injuries, but still started often when available.
Konate has had better luck on the injury front this term and is featuring regularly, as well as cementing his status as a fan favourite.
When a player of Joel Matip’s quality gets a season-ending injury, it’s the kind of thing that could derail a team’s form, but Konate has stepped in admirably.
The CIES Football Observatory recently listed Konate’s value at €90.2million (£77.2million), higher than what they ranked the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Jack Grealish.
Liverpool struck gold by signing the ‘quick and powerful‘ Konate, and for less than £40million too. Just one of Klopp’s many masterstrokes.
