French defender Ibrahima Konate has played down reports that Liverpool have offered him a new contract, insisting that any such deal has not been presented as speculation over his future prospects.
Konate, whose current contract expires at the end of the season, previously revealed in January that he had received an offer from the Reds but was no closer to signing it.
After winning the Premier League trophy in May, he dismissed rumors on social media about ongoing contract talks as “completely fake”, although he admitted that his agent had held fresh discussions with the club.
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Six months on, the 26-year-old has still not been signed, with inconsistent performances only fueling speculation linking him with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. Konate will be free to talk to foreign clubs and sign a pre-contract agreement from January 1.
Speaking to reporters, Konate once again dismissed suggestions that Liverpool have tabled a new offer.
“I've seen a lot of things in the press recently, like Liverpool have made me a new offer,” he said.
“I don't know where it's coming from. My agents are continuing discussions with Liverpool. I hope my decision will be made very soon so I can announce it.”
Konaté also expressed delight for teammate Hugo Ekitié, who scored his first goal for France in a 4–0 win over Ukraine.
“At Liverpool, there is a different intensity than in the Bundesliga,” he said in a pre-match press conference ahead of France's final World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan.
“When he arrived I challenged him. After training, he was tired and didn't want to go to the gym, so I looked him in the eyes for five seconds and said, 'Do you want to play for the French national team?'”
