Ibrahima Konate admits he might by no means have imagined his first season with Liverpool going in addition to it has executed to this point.
Since arriving final summer time from RB Leipzig for £36million, the 22-year-old has shortly established himself as a more-than-reliable central-defensive accomplice for Virgil van Dijk.
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The Frenchman has began six of the final seven Champions League matches, scored the essential opening aim in opposition to Manchester Metropolis in final month’s FA Cup semi-final and is about to be named within the facet at Wembley once more once they face Chelsea within the last.
“By no means at any second in my life might I’ve imagined this,” mentioned Konate, who received the Carabao Cup inside seven months of arriving and will nonetheless finish his first season with a quadruple.
“I knew I used to be becoming a member of a really large membership, a membership that has got down to win issues, titles and trophies, however this season has been distinctive.
“It’s a historic one for the membership and it’s arduous to place into phrases. It’s tremendous thrilling to be part of.
“My expectation was to return right here and work. The membership has a really robust work ethic.
“In fact I’m very blissful to be taking part in in these large matches that are developing so often.
LFC are fairly mad. Their scouting noticed one of many subsequent era’s Van Dijk/Koulibaly model of CBs with Konaté & they made certain that they had a deal in place for summer time 2022 (which is why they didn’t change Lovren & solely loaned Kabak throughout their damage disaster). Unreal planning.
— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) May 6, 2022
“The supervisor has positioned plenty of belief in me and I’m very blissful about that. The factor now’s to proceed placing in good performances and hopefully get the wins.”
Konate has benefited from studying alongside Van Dijk and he acknowledges the position the Holland captain has performed in his growth.
“Virgil? Yeah he offers me some recommendation for large video games,” Konate added.
“However he additionally has this high quality the place we now have this nice relationship and he permits me to determine in every match, to make selections.
“He lets me play to my very own qualities, and I feel that could be a excellent side of his management.
“However I feel it’s the entire crew who defend, to be sincere. It’s not simply the again 4. The midfield and even the attackers, all of them have a job to play in permitting us to do what we do.
“We will solely defend with that degree of help from up entrance.”
