Audio By Carbonatix
Liverpool have agreed to sign centre-back Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig for £35m on a long-term deal.
The French defender, 22, has passed his medical and agreed personal terms, with his move subject to international clearance and a UK work permit.
"It's a really exciting moment for me and my family," said Konate, whose contract will run from 1 July.
Konate is part of France's squad for the Uefa European Under-21 Championship, which starts on Monday.
The defender, who started his career in France with Sochaux, made 21 appearances for RB Leipzig this season as they finished second in the Bundesliga.
"Right now, my focus is on the Under-21 European Championships with France, but after this competition I know I will be joining one of the best teams in the world and that gives me a great feeling," said Konate.
His arrival would help bolster a backline which suffered with the long-term injury absences of centre-backs Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip during the season.
Midfielders Fabinho and Jordan Henderson were used as makeshift central defenders, while Liverpool ended the campaign with a centre-back pairing of Nathaniel Phillips, 24, and Rhys Williams, 20.
Liverpool secured a Champions League spot with a win over Crystal Palace on the final day of the season as they finished third in the Premier League.
The deal for Konate means Liverpool will reject the chance to sign defender Ozan Kabak on a permanent basis.
The Reds had an option to sign 21-year-old Kabak for £18m with add-ons as part of the loan deal which brought him to Anfield in January.
They told the Turkey international of their intentions before news of Konate's deal and he is speaking to other clubs.
Latest Stories
-
Meet Emelia Naa Ayeley Aryee, the Ghanaian Gender Advocate helping couples overcome infertility stigma
4 minutes -
Oil pulls back as traders look for progress on US-Iran talks
50 minutes -
The proposed imposition of a 0.75% fee on Mobile Money-To-Bank transfers raises serious concerns regarding fairness, financial inclusion, and the underlying principle of interoperability within the digital financial ecosystem
51 minutes -
Trump raises refugee ceiling by 10,000 to bring in more white South Africans
56 minutes -
One killed and others missing after chemical explosion at US paper mill
1 hour -
First Ghanaians set to be repatriated from South Africa over anti-immigrant protests
1 hour -
Deliver or be questioned – Majority Chief Whip warns OSP
1 hour -
Crime is everywhere – Dafeamekpor slams OSP’s Accra-centred operations
2 hours -
Don’t be cocooned in Accra – Dafeamekpor pushes OSP to invade districts
2 hours -
Free sanitary pads and pad bank Initiative cut teenage pregnancy in Bosomtwe – Girl Child coordinator
2 hours -
Asunafo North Municipal Assembly deploys DL-Rev Software to tackle revenue shortfall
3 hours -
General Mosquito promised to ‘annihilate’ NPP – Dafeamekpor reveals details of earlier tour
3 hours -
Asiedu Nketia has been touring since 2021, not plotting new campaign, says Dafeamekpor
3 hours -
Apple, Google push for judicial oversight in Canada online safety bill
3 hours -
Micron joins $1 trillion club as AI race powers memory chip boom
4 hours