Liverpool have announced that Ibrahima Konate will wear the club’s jersey number five at 36 million pounds and inherit the jersey that Georginio Wijnaldum left when he moved to Paris Saint-Germain earlier this summer.
Konate’s arrival from RB Leipzig was confirmed as early as May, but the club saved the revelation of the 22-year-old defender’s jersey number until the launch of the new away kit in 2021/22.
Although he has never used it before in his career so far, number five was the obvious choice for Konate as soon as Wijnaldum’s resignation as a free agent was official.
Wijnaldum took over the shirt when he joined the Reds from Newcastle in 2016, but the last midfielder to wear it was Daniel Agger between 2005 and 2014.
Other Liverpool players who have had five in the Premier League era include striker Milan Baros, left-back Steve Staunton and former club captain Mark Wright.
Konate will give a much-needed boost to a Liverpool defense that was ravaged by injuries last season. Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are returning from ACL injuries, while Joel Matip missed the second half of the campaign with an ankle ligament injury.
Liverpool knew they needed another midfielder as soon as Dejan Lovren was sold to Zenit St Petersburg 2020 but played that defensive midfielder Fabinho would be enough extra back-up so they could focus resources on other signings like Thiago Alcantara and Diogo. IOTA.
A long-term new signing was always on the agenda, but fans will be relieved that Konate is through the door ahead of what stands for a crucial season for the Reds.
Liverpool have high hopes for Konate / Boris Streubel / Getty Images
Assistant coach Peter Krawietz recently expressed the club’s belief that Konate has all the potential to become world class in the next few years and describes complementary intelligence and strength.
“In England, we all know what they need to bring to the team: they have to be tall, they have to be fast, they have to be strong in the air and of course it is always important for us that they fit into our tactical profile. In him we see all these qualities, says the coach.
“He is also very, very comfortable and calm on the ball, which is so important for us and our football style, which is to realize a really calm and safe structure for our attacking situations. We see all these qualities in him and that is why he is such a promising and interesting package. ”
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