Liverpool’s injury list just got longer — and it’s one name they could really do without. Ibrahima Konate has been released from the French national team and sent back to Liverpool for further checks after failing to recover from a thigh injury.
The 26-year-old center-back was already a doubt after limping off during the Reds’ 2-1 defeat to Chelsea last weekend. Despite that setback, he still joined up with France earlier in the week, hoping to prove his fitness. But things didn’t go to plan.
Konate missed training for several days before taking part in a light session at Clairefontaine on Wednesday. He remained an unused substitute in France’s 3-0 win over Azerbaijan and has now been replaced by Benjamin Pavard ahead of their next World Cup qualifier in Iceland.
For Liverpool boss Arne Slot, the timing couldn’t be worse.
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How Konate injury impacts Liverpool squad?
While there’s no sign the injury has worsened, Konate’s withdrawal means the Reds will now be sweating over his availability for their huge clash against Manchester United next weekend.
Slot already has limited defensive options. With Giovanni Leoni ruled out for the season following an ACL injury, the Frenchman’s absence could force yet another backline reshuffle.
Slot explained his decision to substitute Konate early against Chelsea, saying:
“I don’t know if it is a big injury, but what I do know is he limped a little bit and when I asked him he said he felt his quad a little bit. Then, for me, all alarm bells go off because in another sprint you never know if that is going to go good.”
“It might be OK that he went off early enough but it was clear I had to take him off because he was limping.”
Liverpool fans will hope the early change paid off — because with fixtures piling up, losing another key defender could be costly.
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Liverpool face nervy wait
The club’s medical team will assess Konate at AXA Training Centre once he returns to Merseyside. The plan is to determine whether he can recover in time for the United clash.
If he doesn’t, Joe Gomez could step in — though the versatile defender has only just returned from his own spell on the sidelines. It’s a reminder of how fragile Liverpool’s defensive depth has become this season.
Liverpool have already invested heavily in rebuilding their attack, but now the focus may need to shift to the back.
For a team chasing silverware, keeping key players fit is half the battle — and right now, Konate’s fitness might just decide how strong the Reds stand in the coming weeks.