Liverpool assistant manager Peter Krawietz has told the Reds’ club website that summer signing Ibrahima Konate has everything he needs to be a success in the Premier League.
Liverpool made Konate their first signing of the window after activating his £36m RB Leipzig release clause, per The Guardian. They agreed the deal in May and held his medical. But the 22-year-old only became a Reds player on Thursday at the start of the new contract year.
Jurgen Klopp made Konate his number one target to strengthen a Liverpool backline that was ravished by injuries last term. He will now look to pair him with Virgil van Dijk as the Dutchman closes in on a return, and Krawietz is confident the Frenchman has all the tools.
Konate left Leipzig after four years, having played 66 Bundesliga games. But Krawietz has hailed the raft of skills Konate brings to Liverpool that are ideal for the Premier League.
“In him, we see the absolute potential to develop into a world-class centre-half. That’s, of course, what we want,” Krawietz said. “He is a young player, still, but also experienced. He played a few years in the German Bundesliga and for several of the French national teams.
“His qualities are pretty obvious. He is a smart centre-half and in terms of defending, of course he has the physical body to be a proper centre-half. In England, we all know what the things are they need to bring to the team.
“They need to be tall, they need to be quick, they need to be strong in the air and, of course, it’s important always for us as well that they fit in our tactical profile. In him, we see all of these qualities.”
Krawietz delivers Klopp a blessing over Liverpool signing Konate
Krawietz has delivered Klopp a blessing by noting the reasons why Konate is an ideal addition to the Liverpool defence. The German took a risk activating the Frenchman’s release clause, having struggled to play consistently for Leipzig.
Konate’s 2020/21 season was hindered by injuries, with the 22-year-old held to just 14 Bundesliga outings. He also missed most of the previous campaign through injury, with the youth international only playing eight times.
Given the injury problems that affected Van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip last season, Klopp could fear his record. But Krawietz will have calmed any concerns by sharing why Konate has everything needed to be a success at Liverpool.
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