Forget Ibrahima Konate, £18m star would be the best option for Liverpool

Ibrahima Konate's Liverpool future has been under scrutiny for as long as many can remember.

The Frenchman is now into the final few months of his current contract and, even though talks about a renewal have been positive over the last few months, there's still no end in sight.

Several clubs are vying for the transfer of the Frenchman and even though Arne Slot has said that he wants to keep the 26-year-old at Anfield, that feels like it is quickly becoming less and less likely.

This has resulted in many centre-backs being linked with a Liverpool move this summer.

Fans have already made it clear that they want to see change and, unless that's given to them, it's hard to see how Liverpool will do any better in the 2026-27 campaign compared to the 2025-26 season.

However, if they get the transfer of one of their targets over the line, they could instantly end up in a better place and become much better off.

Maxence Lacroix is 'under consideration' by Liverpool and Chelsea this summer

No matter which centre-back it is, Liverpool and Chelsea always seem to be going head-to-head for their transfer.

Both teams have struggled this season which has resulted in their fans demanding that changes are made across the board, especially in defence.

And now, a new report from TEAMtalk has put the two clubs against one another again for the signing of Maxence Lacroix.

The report starts by saying that Crystal Palace are wanting to 'fend of growing interest' from Lacroix by offering him a new deal worth around £100k-per-week with the Eagles looking to 'accelerate' those talks over the next couple of weeks.

Despite this, the centre-back, who was signed by Palace for around £18 million, is now 'under consideration' by the three of the big six in Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea.

The report details that Lacroix's pace and physicality are the main reasons behind their interest in the centre-back.

Teams from the Bundesliga and the Serie A are also interested in acquiring his services.

Maxence Lacroix would be better for Liverpool than Ibrahima Konate next season

Even though Konate's partnership with Virgil van Dijk can be among the best defensive pairings in the world on its day, now feels like the right time to let the Frenchman go.

Indeed, there have been times when they've been the best in the Premier League but, more often than not, they've let their team down this term.

Van Dijk is getting on a bit now that he's 33 years old but, the fact that he's still consistently outperforming Konate is a major cause for concern.

Granted, all the defensive changes that have occurred this season won't have helped matters much but, since Konate is demanding obscene amounts of money, now feels like the best time to get rid of the former RB Leipzig man, even if it is for nothing.

£50 million is what Lacroix is worth and, if we're being honest, that feels like an absolute steal, especially when his performances from this season are taken into account.

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