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Ibrahima Konate “Always Shows Why Liverpool Wanted Him” Says Fabinho

The midfielder has been impressed by the young French defender.

Liverpool Training Session Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Twenty-two-year-old French centre-back Ibrahima Konate joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2021. In his 13 appearances for the club since, he has put in some solid performances and earned himself a role in Jurgen Klopp’s lineup despite plenty of competition in the central defender position.

Konate’s quick adaptation to the team has been noticed and appreciated by his teammates, one of them being midfield anchor Fabinho.

“He’s playing really good,” the experienced midfielder noted. “When he has the chance to play, he always shows why Liverpool wanted him because he always plays really good.”

Fabinho is no stranger to the centre-back role, having doubled up as midfielder and central defender during last season’s horror spell of injuries.

“The Premier League is not an easy league to play as a centre-half. He’s young but he’s showing the experience he has”, Fabinho added. “He’s strong, he’s fast, so he has the style of the league.

“He always plays with Joel Matip or Virgil, so it’s important for him as well to have an experienced player by his side.”

Konate has won the hearts of Liverpool fans with his enthusiasm for the club, and his anime-themed social media posts haven’t hurt on that front, either.

He also has fans in other clubs, particularly one notoriously self-absorbed Swede named Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who asked to swap shirts with the young defender after Liverpool’s win against AC Milan in the Champions League groups stages.

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