Ibrahima Konate is set to leave Liverpool on a free transfer. (Image: Getty)
Arne Slott is not the only player facing serious criticism at Liverpool. The Liverpool manager has brought his own sporting director, Richard Hughes, to the same unwanted club. The secret to running a successful football club is learning from past mistakes. And please don’t make it again.
Apparently, even Manchester United are starting to understand this method. But when it comes to Hughes, his uptake seems to be somewhat slow. Hughes was set to compete for the tin hat after it was revealed Ibrahima Konate would be leaving Anfield this summer.
This means that instead of agreeing to a contract extension with the France international, he will leave on a free transfer. Sound familiar?
Now, 12 months ago, Trent Alexander-Arnold did the same thing.
He terminated his contract and joined Real Madrid.
The only thing Liverpool got in return was the £8.4m fee that Real agreed to round up Alexander-Arnold’s deal in order to accelerate his deal to enable him to play in the upcoming Club World Cup.
In less than a year, Liverpool will lose two first-choice defenders without receiving a significant fee.
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And to prove that this was no oversight, Liverpool also allowed the contracts of Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah to end within a few months of expiring, then handed them new contracts that now appear to be unfair.
Given Van Dijk’s form this season, and considering he will turn 35 during the World Cup, the riches lavished on him seem foolish and unwarranted.
Salah still has 12 months left on his 2025 contract but left for free after the club reached an agreement with the Egyptian superstar.
Richard Hughes will be another Liverpool player lost on a free transfer. (Image: Getty)
All of the above is bad business for any club.
What’s more, it’s one of Liverpool’s stature in the sport.
Mr. Hughes is paid a fortune to excel in future planning.
To continue to evolve the talent pool at Anfield so that Liverpool can continue to challenge for the biggest trophies.
In April, Konate hinted he wanted to remain on Merseyside.
“There’s a good chance I’ll be here next season, which is what I’ve always wanted. I’m waiting to get a deal done, but when everything is cleared up, I’ll have to ask Richard (Hughes) what I said to him in September or November, and then he’ll say something to shut everyone up.”
He will likely move to either Chelsea or Paris Saint-Germain next season.
The silence emanating from Anfield is deafening, but not golden.
Claims have not piled up for Liverpool’s defenders amid mounting speculation over the future of Joe Gomez, Tottenham-bound Andy Robertson and new signings Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni working their way back to full fitness.
Liverpool’s success under former manager Jurgen Klopp was driven by smart decisions in the boardroom.
Experts narrowed down the numbers to help the Germans build a strong team.
Thanks to Hughes’ naivety and incompetence, that important new foundation is being dismantled without being laid.
