In a bid to resolve a growing problem area for Liverpool, the club have been instructed to sanction a Premier League swap that would send one senior star to a direct rival
Former Liverpool and Aston Villa forward Stan Collymore has proposed a swap deal between the two clubs before the January transfer window closes. And it’s one that could work out for both teams in the long run.
Following Ibrahima Konate’s rocky record so far this season, Collymore has suggested that he be offered to Villa in exchange for Ezri Konsa. Konate, 26, is out of contract at the end of this season and is reportedly being monitored by clubs such as Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and PSG.
However, moves of that magnitude may not be on the table come the summer if his current form persists. And Collymore believes England international Konsa, who is two years older and has a contract until 2028, could be a smart acquisition as his replacement.
“Liverpool must identify a replacement for Ibrahima Konate if he leaves, especially because I don’t think Virgil van Dijk will be far behind him,” he told BetWright football betting. “I know there’s been talk of Marc Guehi, but I’m looking at someone like Ezri Konsa, who’s probably going to start for England at the World Cup alongside John Stones.
“If I was head of recruitment at Liverpool, I think Konsa and Guehi would both be deals that provide good value for money. Aston Villa have PSR issues that they need to address, so if they were to get a big fee for Konsa, they might have to consider it.
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“For me, Konate thinks he’s the best defender since sliced bread but hasn’t played like it recently. I’m sure he’s thinking he’ll be going to the likes of PSG or Real Madrid, but could there be a swap deal where Konsa goes to Liverpool and Konate goes to Aston Villa? That would be something that would work for both parties.”
There’s one party that Collymore may not be taking into consideration: Konate himself. The 26-year-old is poised to leave for free in the summer, at which point he’ll be able to command a much higher wage, because the club signing him will be saving so much on his transfer fee.
Then there’s the expectation that Konate would be prepared to join Unai Emery at Villa Park when he’s recently been linked with some of Europe’s elite. It’s also a major deal to complete with barely a fortnight left in the January transfer window, though not impossible given it would be a like-for-like trade.
“A lot depends on Konate – if he plays like he was last season, then he should be able to attract an elite Champions League club,” added Collymore. “However, if his form continues to be scratchy, there’s no guarantee he’ll move to a club of that calibre. That’s where the likes of Villa or Newcastle could potentially strike a deal with Liverpool.”
One can understand why Liverpool would be open to such a transfer, which would provide them with an alternative centre-back in peak form. It would also save Arne Slot’s side the hassle of losing Konate for nothing and having to search for a replacement, which would likely cost a considerable amount.
Signing Konsa this month would also come with the benefit of adding some much-needed cover at right-back. Conor Bradley’s season-ending injury has created concern on the right side of Slot’s defence, and Konsa has been competent in that position for club and country in the past.
As Collymore mentioned, Virgil van Dijk also looks set to leave Anfield in the near future and has a contract until June 2027. And unless there’s a sudden breakthrough in negotiations regarding Konate’s contract, the 2022 World Cup runner-up will end his spell on Merseyside this summer.
Liverpool and Villa are directly next to one another in the Premier League standings at present, though Emery’s men are eight points better off in third. From that perspective, trading a key man to one’s rival at this stage of the campaign may not make sense, but the need to comply with spending restrictions could leave an opening for Liverpool to capitalise upon.
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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
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