Brighton & Hove Albion's Kaoru Mitoma in action with Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate
Liverpool have been boosted by the news that key centre-back Ibrahima Konate is now back in training, according to reliable journalist James Pearce.
The Lowdown: Konate missing for Liverpool
The 23-year-old has been an excellent signing since arriving from RB Leipzig in 2021, arguably becoming Virgil van Dijk’s strongest defensive partner.
Konate has suffered an injury-plagued season, however, starting just four games in the Premier League and not featuring since the 2-1 FA Cup defeat at Brighton last month.
The hope is that the Frenchman is back in the fold as soon as possible and a positive update has now emerged, in that respect.
The Latest: Comeback close
Taking to Twitter on Thursday, The Athletic‘s Pearce confirmed that Konate is now back training with his teammates again in a ‘timely boost’.
On Friday, Jurgen Klopp has confirmed the towering Frenchman is back in action but the trip to Crystal Palace may come too soon due to a lack of match fitness.
The Verdict: Huge positive for Reds
This is great news for Liverpool, especially after their 5-2 drubbing at the hands of Real Madrid, with Konate an undoubted part of their strongest XI these days, averaging 2.4 tackles per game in the league this season.
The seven-time capped France international is a noticeable upgrade on both Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, with the pair in increasingly shaky form this season.
Konate possesses so much pace and power that it allows Liverpool to play a bold style, especially in terms of a high line, and he is simply less error-prone than some of his defensive colleagues.
Reds legend Phil Thompson has hailed the centre-back as a ‘wonderful’ player, and along with Thiago and Luis Diaz, his return from injury can help inspire Klopp’s men to a top-four finish.
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