As the winter transfer window nears opening, among numerous transfer rumors, Liverpool fans’ top concern is two players with no renewal updates: Ibrahima Konaté and Andy Robertson. With their contract extension talks at a standstill, both are now at the critical point of having just six months left on their deals.
Though at different career stages, they can officially hold negotiations with clubs outside England starting this Thursday. Any potential suitors within the Premier League will have to wait until summer to make a move.
Konaté’s situation is more delicate. The French international, who joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig for £36 million in 2021, made his 100th Premier League appearance in the win over Wolves last weekend, and has featured 157 times for the Reds across all competitions. Renewal talks launched over a year ago have shown no signs of a breakthrough.
His inconsistent form at the start of this season fueled speculation over his future, with Real Madrid – long linked with him – telling Liverpool they have no intention of signing the centre-back on a free transfer. Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, however, are still frequently mentioned as potential suitors. To his credit, Konaté, Van Dijk’s preferred regular defensive partner, has steadily improved his recent performances, yet transfer rumors will inevitably intensify with the winter window opening.
In contrast, the 31-year-old Robertson is no longer the first-choice left-back, making just three Premier League starts this season, with new signing Kaiky Fernandes Kirkiz preferred by the coach. The Scotland captain was chased by Atlético Madrid in the summer window, but the deal fell through. Instead, Liverpool loaned Kostas Tsimikas to Roma, further streamlining their options at the position. Leading Scotland at the summer World Cup is Robertson’s top priority, meaning his Anfield future is unlikely to be resolved until close to the tournament. No progress has been made on his renewal since he revealed initial talks in early 2025, with negotiations completely stalled.
Liverpool have no intention of selling Konaté or Robertson in January for cash, to avoid losing them for nothing at the end of the season. Fenway Sports Group has always adhered to the policy of allowing players to enter the final year of their contracts if they still hold value to the first team – a practice common under Jurgen Klopp, and exemplified by Arne Slot’s use of Trent Alexander-Arnold last season. As things stand, however, the opening of the new year’s transfer window may signal the start of the countdown to the end of their Liverpool careers.
