Liverpool tipped to re-sign £52m ex-player as key star set to leave

Liverpool have been tipped to trigger Jarell Quansah’s buy-back with Ibrahima Konate seemingly destined for the Anfield exit door.

The Reds made Jeremy Jacquet their second-most expensive defender of all time on deadline day, but their squad remains thin.

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talkSPORT understands that Liverpool have agreed a £60million package with Rennes to sign the defender ahead of Chelsea.

The France Under-21 international has penned a long-term contract at Anfield, but will see out the rest of the season in Ligue 1.

And it could be the case of one in, one out for Liverpool on July 1, with Jacquet becoming the instant replacement for Ibrahima Konate.

The latter is out of contract at the end of the season, and is set to become a free agent as it stands, amid interest from overseas clubs.

European football expert Andy Brassell told talkSPORT.com that he believes Liverpool will need to strengthen further at centre-back.

Giovanni Leoni, who is seen as a long-term successor to Virgil van Dijk, has played just once since his £26m move last summer due to injury.

“I’m sure Liverpool will go out and buy another centre-back from here. They have to,” Brassell explained to talkSPORT.

“They really have to go out and buy a new centre-back from here because, depending on what happens with Van Dijk, they can’t have Van Dijk plus Jacquet and Leoni going into next season.

“They can’t do that. It leaves them too thin. So, they need to find someone.”

One option remains to trigger the buy-back clause in Quansah’s contract with Bayer Leverkusen following his £35m exit in June.

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Jarell Quansah return to Liverpool

England international Quansah has scored two goals in 26 appearances across all competitions for Leverkusen this season.

Liverpool can activate their buy-back on the 23-year-old, who made 13 Premier League appearances last season, from 2027.

That buy-back is believed to be around £52m.

Brassell added: “I wonder if at some point Jarell Quansah maybe comes back. I think that has to be a question as well.

“We’ve seen that before with players going out to the Bundesliga.

“Or do you even look at going way back, look at Dani Carvajal having his year in Leverkusen before going back to Real Madrid and becoming a Real Madrid legend. That’s always a possibility, I think.”

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Konate set to leave Liverpool

Konate has long been rumoured to follow Trent Alexander-Arnold in swapping life under Arne Slot for a move to Real Madrid.

Los Blancos’ interest in the 26-year-old was said to have cooled but a lack of other standout options could see their interest reignite.

“It feels to me like Konate will go,” Brassell continued. “Marc Guehi has made his move already. Dayot Upamecano is staying at Bayern. He’s signing a new contract.

“So, from there being all these available free transfer centre-backs – and of course, Real Madrid had interest in all three of them at some point – that’s whittled down to one elite centre-back.

“Now, if you’re Konate, if Liverpool aren’t prepared to give you the deal that you want…and I can understand their reticence.

“He’s had his fitness issues and certainly his form issues this season. But I think in terms of status, he’s still recognised as an elite centre-back.

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Barcelona could rival PSG and Real Madrid for Konate

“I think you’re in a position to go and get exactly what you [Konate] want, really, this summer.

“You think of the big clubs that will be looking for a centre-back. So, Real Madrid are definitely interested. We know that already.

“PSG would be interested. And then you look on from there and maybe Barcelona would make an offer.

“They definitely need an extra defender, and they haven’t got a bottomless pit of money with which to do it.

“But there are so many options open to him for the moment, particularly after the World Cup.

“To be him on a free transfer at the moment, the world is your oyster. The European football world is your oyster.”

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Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher broadly agreed with that verdict, while assessing the incoming arrival of £60m Jacquet.

“When you look at stylistically what Jeremy Jacquet is, it tells me Ibrahima Konate is not signing,” Carragher said on Sky Sports.

“I think Liverpool are going to go and buy a proper centre-back in the summer, who I would imagine will play alongside Virgil van Dijk, and then you’ve got two really good young centre-backs.

“They still need to play, but one of them — Giovanni Leoni — is coming back after an ACL, so it is not going to be an easy season for him next season.

“Van Dijk is going to be on the back of a World Cup, and he’s going to be 12 months older.

“So, if Konate doesn’t sign, they sign another player to replace Konate — a top-of-the-range centre-back to play right now — and you’ve got these two as back-up. I still think they’ll get plenty of games.”