Ibrahima Konate makes ‘new Liverpool’ claim after Jurgen Klopp hint over transfers

For some time now, there’s been a feeling that Liverpool’s collective outlook has been very much front-facing beyond this season and instead towards a critically important summer.

Having spent much of the past five years of season run-ins merely concentrating on the very next game – whether it was trying to overthrow leaders Manchester City for the Premier League title (2019, 2022), retaining focus to get over the line and become champions (2020) or keeping a winning run going to secure a top-four finish (2021) – Liverpool have rarely been able to look beyond what has been immediately next up for them in the month of May.

That, though, feels like it has shifted considerably at Anfield this term as the Reds start to address what they can do to ensure an underwhelming campaign is not repeated next time out.

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Plans for pre-season have been altered to try and make sure they are able to hit the ground running this summer, while a proactive approach to their sporting director issue has them on the brink of appointing Jorg Schmadtke to replace the departing Julian Ward before the transfer window has opened.

With Schmadtke flying into Merseyside to finalise talks to take over Ward and Tim Spearman replacing Ian Graham as the club’s new head of research at the end of this campaign, two major recruitment roles are set to be populated by fresh faces.

Throw in the completion of the Anfield Road expansion project off the field and the departures of James Milner, Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on it and the idea that Liverpool are entering a new era is becoming harder and harder to escape.

“I think we need to end this season before talking about ‘the new Liverpool’ next season, but it’s a fair comment (so suggest it’s a new Liverpool),” says Ibrahima Konate. “The guys who have come in this season – one in January (Cody Gakpo) – have had less time to settle in but I think the summer signings and the January signing have all done really well.

“They have performed really well and we will see if we get any new recruits in the summer, but hopefully we can see an even better Liverpool next season.”

It was interesting to hear Klopp, in his Friday press conference, talk about the club searching across all outfield departments with regards to their transfer targets.

“We look in all departments apart from goalkeeper at the moment,” said the Liverpool boss. “Yes, if there is a good [centre-back] out there, I would not deny it. That’s all. We look at all areas of the pitch, definitely.”

Quite where that leaves Reds in the hunt for a centre-back remains open to debate, with Klopp recently admitting that the tweak of the system that now sees Trent Alexander-Arnold operating as a hybrid midfielder in possession will have its long-term future decided by who the club are able to bring in.

“If it is long term we will see it just depends on the new players that we bring in,” Klopp told Sky Sports after the 1-0 win over Brentford this month.

It’s why links to Ajax’s Jurrien Timber are intriguing. The Netherlands international is capable of playing both as a centre-back and a right-sided full-back, which is the general area of the field that has taken on greater significance since Alexander-Arnold has been freed up to dictate from more central and advanced positions.

“New systems come around when new players come to the club and this system has evolved,” adds Konate in a chat with the club’s official match-day programme. Konate, perhaps more than anyone, is the Liverpool whose Alexander-Arnold’s new-found freedom has had the biggest impact on from a workload point of view, but it is something he is keen to see continue.

“The system that we had last season was so successful but one or two of those players aren’t here any more. When new players come in they have to settle in and adapt to a new system but I think coaches adapt their tactics as well,” he says.

“This new system where Trent Alexander-Arnold is dropping more into midfield and getting more into attacking places is a key to the success we’ve been having recently.

“I think it is important that we can involve Trent further up the field because of the quality he has in his game. We all know what a great passer of the ball he is – I’d say he is one of the best passers of the ball in the world.

“I think it has made us more clinical and decisive in front of goal and let’s face it, to win games you have to score goals. We do talk but the main thing is we all know our roles and we know what to do.

“Obviously when you try to communicate in a noisy stadium sometimes you can’t hear anybody but yes I do have more responsibility now. The main thing is you are doing it not for yourself but for the team and certainly I am finishing games a little bit more tired than I used to!”

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