Liverpool

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Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate has said he "gave everything I had for this badge" during his five-year stay at Anfield, as it was confirmed he will leave the club this summer on a free transfer.

Konate, who was a first-team stalwart under Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot, won a Premier League title, an FA Cup, two Carabao Cups and the Community Shield during his time with the Reds, after signing from RB Leipzig in July 2021.

The 27-year-old posted his own farewell message on Instagram, external, which read: "Five years ago, I arrived as a young player with big dreams. Today, I leave with memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

"Representing this club has been an honour. We've shared incredible moments together... highs and lows, trophies, challenges, lifelong friendships and heart-breaking moments that will stay with us forever, none more painful than losing our brother Diogo [Jota].

"Losing my father this year was one of the hardest periods of my life, but even through hardship, my commitment to this club never changed. During the toughest moments, I gave everything I had for this badge.

"To my team-mates, coaches, staff and everyone behind the scenes, thank you for helping me grow every single day.

"And to the supporters... thank you for your love, your energy and your incredible support. Anfield is truly a special place, and playing in front of you was something I never took for granted.

"I am deeply saddened that I didn't get the chance to say goodbye to all of you at the last game. At that moment, I didn't know it would be my final time wearing this shirt in front of you.

"From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything. I love you all and will carry Liverpool with me wherever I go.

"This isn't an easy goodbye, but it's time for a new challenge and a new chapter."

Konate's departure leaves 34-year-old captain Virgil van Dijk as arguably Liverpool's only reliable senior centre-back.

Joe Gomez still has a year left on his current contract, but has not been first choice and has suffered with injuries, while also being required to fill in at right-back.

Young defender Giovanni Leoni missed most of his debut campaign after tearing his ACL, while 20-year-old Jeremy Jacquet is likely to need time to settle when he officially joins the Reds this summer.

So, how are you feeling about Liverpool's central defensive options? Do they need to add anyone with Konate going - and if so, who?

Let us know your thoughts here

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We asked for your views on whether outgoing Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola would be the right choice for Liverpool to succeed the sacked Arne Slot or whether you would prefer someone else.

The Reds have approached the 43-year-old Spaniard to discuss the role.

Here are some of your comments:

Carl: If he doesn't have us playing like crabs going side to side again for another season and understands that central midfielders don't play right-back then he'll be an improvement that's for sure. It would be a gamble but his style of football at Bournemouth is much closer to what we loved under Jurgen Klopp than anything Slot could bring. A risk worth taking.

Mike: Very happy with the Iraola approach. His attitude and work-rate, and that of his teams, is a better fit for Liverpool and what we need to right the wrongs of this season.

Mez: No-brainer. He's been the manager of the season.

Mark: I have always enjoyed how Bournemouth played under Iraola and feel a similar excitement to when we announced Klopp. Thanks, Arne, we will never forget the 20th title, but a change is needed.

Alex: Iraola would be a gamble. Do Liverpool have the squad for heavy metal football now? We're in a bit of a mess with last year's signings still to settle in and older players leaving. Luis Enrique would be my choice. He might be tempted to take on a new challenge after Paris St-Germain's Champions League victory.

James: Just go all out for Luis Enrique! A big name is the only way to sort the dressing room that Slot lost.

Ken: I want Liverpool to take a bit of time to get this appointment right. Sporting director Richard Hughes needs to redeem himself by doing everything he can to persuade Luis Enrique to swap Paris for Liverpool. If that fails, then Iraola would be an acceptable alternative given his body of work in the Premier League.

David: I've got nothing against Iraola but this seems like a backwards step for Liverpool. I'd want a manager who has a proven track record of winning trophies, not one who delivers mid-table positions at the end of the season.

Paul: Iraola would be a risk. Bournemouth, and Brighton and Brentford, just seem to be a brilliantly run clubs and that no matter who comes in they punch well above their weight. When supposedly top managers leave these clubs they don't do as well as is expected of them and this could also be the case for Iraola. I think we need to try and get a more experienced coach who will immediately command the respect of the dressing room.

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Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk says he will "never forget" winning the Premier League title under Arne Slot.

The 34-year-old has won two English top-flight titles with Liverpool to date, and he personally thanked Slot - who was sacked on Saturday - for his efforts since taking charge of the club on 1 June 2024.

Van Dijk posted a picture of the pair on his Instagram story alongside the caption: "We'll never forget winning the Premier League in our first season together.

"Thank you, Trainer, and best of luck to you and your family for the future."

Hugo Ekitike, who Slot signed from Eintracht Frankfurt in a £69m deal, posted his own story which read: "Thank you for everything you taught me and for the time you gave me, both on and off the pitch. I wish you all the very best, coach."

Midfielder Ryan Gravenberch also took to Instagram to write: "Thank you for everything, coach! Lifting the Premier League trophy together was an incredible achievement and a moment I'll never forget. Wishing you all best for the future."

Rio Ngumoha, who was given his first Premier League start under the Dutch head coach, simply wrote: "Thank you, Gaffer" alongside a folded hands emoji, while Jeremie Frimpong posted: "Thank you for everything, coach. All the best for the future!"

BBC Radio Merseyside's Ian Kennedy caught up with Liverpool.com editor Matt Addison and The Redmen TV's Ste Plunkett to discuss Arne Slot's dismissal and predict who could be next to take the reins at Anfield.

Addison said the announcement "absolutely came as a surprise" to him, adding that there is "an argument both ways" for the decision.

He added: "The playing style has certainly been a huge factor in this."

On outgoing Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, who is the leading contender for the job, Plunkett said: "They have been very difficult to play against because they are totally on the front foot. They ask you questions for the entire 90 minutes and their transition is electric.

"That is the type of football that re-engages the fans with the team."

Click above and below to hear the conversations in full or listen on BBC Sounds

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

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There were question marks over whether the players truly believed in Arne Slot's methods.

One club source, who was also at Liverpool during Jurgen Klopp's tenure, said: "Arne's a great person but you always felt he lacked that authority Jurgen had and that became more evident when things weren't going well on the pitch."

The departure of veterans Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and now Ibrahima Konate is telling too.

Slot was never going to be Klopp but he won the Premier League title at the first time of asking and deserves immense credit for that. For that alone, he will be a part of Liverpool's illustrious history.

The understanding is that FSG initially backed Slot to rebuild the supporter faith that has waned considerably during this campaign's struggles.

But, as the season concluded, the belief became that delaying the decision which looked increasingly inevitable would be unfair on the squad and damaging to preparations for 2026-27.

Andoni Iraola is the leading candidate and contact has already been made, with his immediate availability also playing a part in severing ties with Slot.

For Slot, there is no bad blood with Liverpool, but he is of the belief that he has been dealt a tough card with the situation this past season.

Liverpool's points tally fell from 84 in 2024-25 to 60 in 2025-26; with the swing of minus 24 the biggest drop by any ever-present Premier League side across two campaigns.

There was no sign of Liverpool reversing that shift in the last few months of the season.

Slot finished his first campaign lifting the Premier League trophy in front of the Kop and ended his second sitting alone in the dugout. That was six days ago, when it seemed entirely like Liverpool were sticking with the Dutchman.

But modern-day football is brutal. This is a club firmly in transition and, sadly for Slot, Liverpool want a new man to manage that change.

Liverpool and Inter Milan are in talks over a deal for Curtis Jones but the Reds want more than the proposed 20m euros (£17.3m) to sell the midfielder. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Meanwhile, Chelsea have decided against making Ibrahima Konate, who is set to leave Anfield on a free transfer, an offer, with the defender's representatives in talks with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Sunday's full gossip column

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Outgoing Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is the leading contender to replace the sacked Arne Slot at Liverpool.

The club have approached the 43-year-old Spaniard to discuss the role.

Iraola is one of the most highly rated coaches in Europe and known for his attacking style of play.

He was appointed at Bournemouth when Richard Hughes was technical director at the Cherries, a role he left in 2024 to join the Reds as sporting director.

Bournemouth finished only one place and three points behind Liverpool to qualify for next season's Europa League.

Would Iraola be the right choice? If not, why not - and who would you go for instead?

Send us your comments here

Matt Upson, Chris Sutton, John Murray and Julien Laurens join Steve Crossman on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast to react to Arne Slot being sacked by Liverpool.

The team discuss whether the decision is harsh after Slot won the club's 20th Premier League title in his first season, before performances on the pitch declined the next campaign.

Hit play below for the full episode, or listen on BBC Sounds here

Chloe Bloxam
Fan contributor

I'm quite stunned about Liverpool sacking Arne Slot, not necessarily because I didn't think change was needed - because I did - but because of all the reports that have been coming out towards the end of the season about there being mitigating factors and that the club would continue to back him.

I just did not see this coming. I'm quite sad at how it's ended. Liverpool needed change but it is sad for Slot.

A year ago, I was celebrating a Premier League title. I was happiest I've been in terms of footy in ages because Slot brought us number 20 - and for that I will forever be grateful.

There's a difference between being aggressive towards your manager and just realising that maybe it's time to move on, and I think that's where I am at.

I am thankful to Slot for absolutely everything he's done for Liverpool, not just around winning us number 20, but also around the sad passing of Diogo Jota.

The season obviously went the way it did and it's not been good enough for Liverpool. I'm not seeing an identity, I didn't see any progression.

I think Liverpool have decided that it's a bigger risk to not go and get a new manager than it would be to stick with Slot.

I don't think Liverpool were interested in Xabi Alonso. If they were, this would have came out a couple of weeks ago.

I believe they've looked at the data of Slot's season and the data on [Andoni] Iraola [the frontrunner to be appointed] and they've just decided it's a bigger risk staying with Slot than it is to move on and go with Iraola.

Find more from Chloe Bloxam at The Redmen TV, external

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Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock believes it was the right decision to dismiss Arne Slot, but added that "there's an argument for both sides".

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "When you think of winning the 20th league title for Liverpool, the incredible job that he did, those unprecedented times over the summer last year with the passing of Diogo Jota - that was very difficult.

"However, there were huge amounts of money spent over the summer period. It was to close the gap on the likes of Paris St-Germain, who were the team in Europe everyone wanted to chase down and emulate - be as good as if not better.

"People will argue that £450m wasn't the full amount and that they recouped about £200m. It doesn't matter. They brought in £450m worth of talent and it has simply not worked this season and the Liverpool fans got disheartened with performances.

"When I've been there in recent weeks, there's a sense that invincibility has disappeared from Anfield and teams feel like they can turn up and cause problems, and that is just not the feeling we expect of a Liverpool team.

"Watching them over the past few weeks, I did feel that Slot had lost a lot of players on the pitch - a lot of belief in what he was asking them to do."

Aadam Patel
Liverpool reporter

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It was just over two weeks ago when Arne Slot told reporters at Liverpool's AXA Training Centre that he had "every reason to believe" he would be the Reds manager next season.

Slot was a major part of planning for next season and, at various times over the past few months, spoke about the importance of the summer ahead for Liverpool as they continue their transition, following a record spend of £415m in the same period last season.

So when the Dutchman was informed on Saturday morning, after a decision made by sporting director Richard Hughes and FSG chief executive Michael Edwards, that he was to be sacked, it was a shock to Slot.

His contract was set to expire next summer.

As recently as Friday, Slot's representatives believed there was no change in the support shown by Liverpool over the course of what the 47-year-old described to BBC Sport in February as the "toughest season" he has had.

A campaign that started with the tragic death of Diogo Jota and Liverpool hit hard by injuries ended with the team losing 19 games.

Add in the regular occurrence of boos from supporters at Anfield and the ugly breakdown of his relationship with Mohamed Salah and you can see why Slot and Liverpool were truly pushed to the limits.

Liverpool believe that, having had a chance to assess the situation now the season is over, the team must evolve again.

Major signings were made last summer, with Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Giovanni Leoni joining, and more are planned this summer, with Jeremy Jacquet already confirmed in a £60m deal from Rennes.

Fundamentally, the feeling is that the next phase demands a front-foot, aggressive and urgent style of football, and that Slot is not the man for that.

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We asked for your reaction to the sacking of Arne Slot, whether it was the right call and what you make of the timing.

Here are some of your comments:

Jack B: Too slow by FSG! The opportunity to make this change has been there for months and yet they make it now that prime candidate (Xabi Alonso) has moved to a Premier League rival. And all this after spending so heavily on players last summer presumably following Slot's vision! Sums up the season - a dismal mess.

Charlotte: I feel bad but I think he needed to go. Regrettable that Mo Salah has already announced his departure because maybe he could have stayed. This is what is best for the club if we want to get back to the standards we need to uphold.

Sonny: For Liverpool to sack a coach it usually takes a lot, and while he may have been sacked by Chelsea or Manchester United, I didn't see us being that bold. I feel sorry for him, as winning the league surely buys you a third season, or at least part of one. While I was not optimistic in the slightest for next season, it still feels as if it has ended in an unsatisfactory way. Thank you for everything, Arne. You will always be remembered for that 20th title.

Adrian: Sad but necessary. Slot had an amazing first campaign but we have lost our way this season. A lot of challenges on and off the pitch but the right decision. Thank you for the Premier League title Arne - good luck!

Ian: I'm not sure this is the best decision but a lot of fans will be happy. Only time will tell.

Alfie: I have mixed feelings about it. However, I am happy we did it now rather than wait and do it in the first few months of the next season. There are many decent managers on the market at the minute so I think the club have made the right decision.

Dean: Sad but it needed to be done. He had lost the dressing room and his tactics were too erratic. Also he never had any stability in his squad choices - there was little consistency.

Lisa: Definitely the right thing to do, but too late. Too late to get Alonso in as manager, when he was free and perfect to step in. More importantly, too late for Mo Salah and Andy Robertson. We need someone who truly understands what Liverpool means - to the players, to the fans and to the city.

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

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Most observers – including this one – believed Liverpool's title was theirs to lose after one of the most spectacular summers of spending in Premier League history.

After keeping their powder dry following Arne Slot's arrival, a strategy rewarded with the title, Liverpool embarked on a remarkable spree.

This included £125m British record signing Alexander Isak from Newcastle United, £116m Germany golden boy Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, another £70m striker in Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt, as well as another £70m on full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong from Bournemouth and Bayer Leverkusen respectively.

Liverpool raked in more than £250m from sales of players such as striker Darwin Nunez to Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal, Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich and Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen.

Trent Alexander-Arnold left for Real Madrid for a small fee just before the end of his contract while, of course, the whole club and its support was devastated by Diogo Jota's death.

Alexander-Arnold and Diaz, outstanding at Bayern, have been sorely missed.

Liverpool's outlay, however, did not strengthen their squad. It made it worse, which takes some doing.

It left the squad mediocre and unbalanced as expensive new acquisitions spluttered or suffered injuries, while their recruitment team failed to deliver one of their most significant targets.

There are many questions around Slot's transfer dealings, although owners Fenway Sports Group's CEO of football Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes must also take responsibility.

Liverpool's key pair of power brokers were showered with bouquets in the summer. Now they must take the brickbats.

• How did such a splurge leave an unbalanced team?

• Why did Liverpool not sign competition for Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo on the flanks?

• Was enough thought given to how Wirtz would be utilised as Liverpool revelled in beating Manchester City to his signature?

• Did they really need to spend £125m on Isak having spent £70m on Ekitike?

• Were they too complacent in assuming Crystal Palace would just give up on Marc Guehi?

Read more analysis on Slot's sacking

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Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group has issued a statement confirming the decision to dismiss head coach Arne Slot.

Here it is in full:

"That this was a difficult decision for us to make as a club goes without saying. The contribution Arne has made to Liverpool FC in the time that he has been with us has been significant, meaningful and – most importantly of all to supporters and ourselves – successful.

"As such, our appreciation for everything he has achieved could not be greater, particularly as it was underpinned by a work ethic, a diligence and a level of expertise which further underlined our view that he is a leader in his field.

"From the moment that we first encountered Arne, it was immediately clear that he is an individual who does not merely accept responsibility, he embraces it. This was evident when he agreed to take over as head coach, when he guided us to the Premier League title and throughout the season just ended when he faced considerable challenges and burdens.

"At the same time, we have collectively come to the conclusion that change is necessary in order for the club to keep moving forward. Again, it must be stressed that this is not a decision which has been reached lightly - anything but.

"We would like to take this opportunity to place on record our appreciation for Arne, who will always hold a special place in the history of this football club as the coach who delivered Liverpool's 20th league title.

"That accomplishment – made all the more remarkable as it arrived in his very first season in charge – was built on outstanding coaching and leadership every single day.

"He also helped guide the club through one of the most difficult periods imaginable following the loss of Diogo. The compassion and humanity he showed throughout that time said a great deal about him as a person.

"As such, we can only wish Arne well in the next stage of his coaching career, with our expectation being that he will continue to be successful. We do so in the knowledge that his Liverpool legacy is intact and will become yet more meaningful in the years and decades to come.

"Nevertheless, the conclusion we have come to is built on a belief that the team's trajectory is best addressed through a change of direction. That does not diminish the work Arne has done here, or the respect we have for him. Nor is it a reflection of his talents. Rather, it is indicative of the need for a different approach.

"Arne leaves with our gratitude, with a Premier League title to his name, and with the knowledge that he and his family will always be welcomed back at Anfield."

What's your reaction to this news? Is it the right call? And what do you make of the timing?

Get in touch with your views here

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The first episode of BBC Radio Merseyside's A to Z of Liverpool focuses on defender Gary Ablett, who played for both Merseyside clubs, John Aldridge and the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul.

Striker Aldridge was signed in January 1987 to replace Ian Rush, who was leaving at the end of that season, and won the league title and FA Cup in his two and a half years at Anfield - becoming a cult hero and scoring 50 goals in 83 league games for Liverpool.

"He came to Liverpool and didn't have a moustache but he grew it back and I think that helped in him replacing Ian Rush," said Radio Merseyside's Carl Woodward.

"What a goalscorer he was. I was gutted when he left. I didn't want him to go because he was so good. The goals he would score. He was just in the right place at the right time all the time.

"He could score with his head, score from two yards out, score some decent goals from the edge of the area.

"He was just a great striker and he did replace Rush really. He was in that 1987-88 team which was arguably Liverpool's greatest ever."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Explore more Liverpool content on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your views on which players Liverpool should sign from the three relegated Premier League sides Wolves,Burnley and West Ham United.

Here are some of your comments:

Jobey: Liverpool should sign Jarrod Bowen, he's got 20 G/A at a relegated club, he deserves a big move.

Sam: We need to buy Bowen. As a left-footed, right-sided attacker and proven Premier League player, he would fit in well as a replacement to Mo Salah in my opinion.

Andy: I don't see any of the relegated teams improving Liverpool's first team. The only tempting prospect who is proven in the Premier League is Bowen, but is he a direct replacement for Salah? No. But is he a stronger option than Cody Gakpo, I would think so. It's whether Bowen wants to leave to go to a club where he isn't a guaranteed starter.

Jimmy: Bowen is almost a like-for-like Diogo Jota replacement… and a bargain option. Often looked good in a failing West Ham side.

Josh: For me, Bowen and Mateus Fernandes would be obvious choices. Bowen would provide great back-up in the forward positions and will tick the much-needed homegrown box. Fernandes would bring the steel our midfield desperately needs. Mateus Mane from Wolves might be an option.

Stuart: We shouldn't go for Bowen that's for sure. However, if we are thinking of moving Alexis Mac Allister on then Fernandes from West Ham could be an alternative possibly. Other than that I don't see any other options.

Wayne: From West Ham - Crysencio Summerville has had a relatively good season in a poor team, as has Fernandes. Wolves - Joao Gomes and the young Mane have again stood out. Not sure in terms of Burnley though.

This Is Anfield's Sam Millne believes Liverpool need to bolster their attack after lacking "firepower" up front in a disappointing campaign.

The Reds finished fifth and stumbled across the line to secure a place in the Champions League for next season just a year after winning the Premier League title at a canter.

Millne, speaking on BBC Radio Merseyside, said: "[Mohamed] Salah and [Andy] Robertson leaving leaves a gap. Probably not at left-back because it looks like [Kostas] Tsimikas is coming back from his loan at Roma, but in attack. Those wing positions we know are being prioritised because with Alexander Isak's long-term injury and lack of fitness, Hugo Ekitike's long-term injury, [Federico] Chiesa not being favoured, probably rightly so, there's been absolutely no firepower up front.

"Cody Gakpo, who has been massively underperforming all season, has been relied on as the centre forward in the last few months. And we got what we expected. As much as we would've liked to play better under Arne Slot, it's hard to say they should've done better with the players they have.

"With the benefit of hindsight, the money spent on Isak would probably have been better spent on a striker and a winger or a couple of players who can play across the front three because we have been left extremely short this season."

Listen to the full interview above or on BBC Sounds

Explore more Liverpool content on BBC Sounds

Aadam Patel
Liverpool reporter

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Ibrahima Konate sounded as confident as ever when he told us in April that there was a "big chance" he would be at Anfield next season.

In fact, he even asked reporters to speak to Liverpool's sporting director Richard Hughes, implying that he always wanted to stay at the club, despite rumours linking him with a move to Real Madrid earlier in the season.

"I'm waiting to sort the contract, but when everything is sorted, you will have to ask Richard what I said to him in September, November and he's going to say something to make everyone quiet," Konate said at the time.

Over the past few months, Arne Slot even described Konate as "vital" and admitted that Liverpool would not be in talks for a new deal if they didn't want Konate to stay.

Now it looks like that contract will not happen and Konate will be on his way out of Anfield without even saying goodbye - unlike Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson, who did say their farewells to fans last weekend.

In truth, it is a mess on both sides of the equation. For Liverpool, this is yet another experienced campaigner leaving on a free transfer. Such a situation should have been resolved last summer in order to get a fee for Konate, or at the latest by the January window.

At 27, Konate is still in the prime of his career and though the options aren't clear at the moment, eyes will light up around the world at getting a centre-half of his calibre for free. Any decision as to his next club may come after the World Cup.

However, that will come down to an agreement on wages, with the simple matter that Konate wants a lot more money than the amount at which Liverpool value him. It leaves the Frenchman in a precarious position and unable to stay at the club where he said he truly wanted to be.

Liverpool believe that any agreement cannot come at the cost of the club's financial equilibrium, nor undermine the allocation of resources within the playing squad. And so it looks like that unlike Salah and Robertson last week, Konate will quietly exit through the back door.

Liverpool's season to forget may have finished last week, but the problems continue for Slot and co.

Read the full story here