Former Liverpool defender Jose Enrique lauded Ibrahima Konate during the 3-3 draw with Benfica in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg.
The lowdown: Perfect fit
Signed for £36million from RB Leipzig (Sky Sports), the 22-year-old has made a seamless transition into life on Merseyside.
Following a difficult 2020/21 season with injuries, Liverpool sought to repair their defensive woes and Konate has already moved ahead of Joe Gomez in the Anfield pecking order.
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Since arriving, the France Under 21 international has already tasted success as a Red, lifting the Carabao Cup trophy and even scoring a penalty in the shootout against Chelsea.
Called upon from the start as Jurgen Klopp named a heavily rotated side to face Benfica, Konate has caught the eye once again…
The latest: Enrique impressed
Taking to his personal Twitter account, ex-Liverpool full-back Enrique who now appears as a pundit on talkSPORT, lauded the 13-cap youth starlet after he opened the scoring on the night.
“Yes konateeeeeeeee. This guy is a beast in the air! 1-0 come on reds!!!”
Konate’s second goal for the club was topped off with a defensive masterclass containing one clearance, one interception and a 100% ground duel success rate (Sofascore), while he was also solid in possession, racking up 111 touches of the ball.
The verdict: Outstanding again
Whilst the Frenchman has failed to usurp Joel Matip as the first-choice partner alongside Virgil van Dijk, Klopp’s confidence to use the Paris-born star in games of this magnitude is testament to his ability and impact since arriving on Merseyside.
So far this season, Konate has made 21 appearances across all competitions for the Reds, five of which have come in the UEFA Champions League.
As Klopp’s men continue in their pursuit of an unprecedented quadruple, performances such as this will keep the powerful defender at the forefront of the German manager’s selection thoughts.
In other news, Liverpool eyeing summer move for talented midfielder. Read more here.