Ibrahima Konate could be back in action before the end of the month, with the Liverpool centre-back’s recovery process shorter than perhaps first feared.
Konate has been out since suffering a knee injury at the end of the 2-0 win over Real Madrid on November 27, missing the last three games so far.
The Frenchman was reported to have avoided serious damage but Arne Slot cast doubt over his involvement for the remainder of the year along with both Conor Bradley and Kostas Tsimikas.
However, there is now a hope that Konate could be back involved before the end of December, which would be a major boost for Liverpool.
Liverpool journalist David Lynch, whose work can be followed on Substack, provided a promising update after the 25-year-old returned to work in the gym unaided.
“He’s not in a knee brace now, so that’s encouraging,” Lynch told Anfield Agenda.
“It kind of tallies with what I said, that it’s not quite that five-to-six weeks that was touted.
“There’s a real hope that he can be back before that.
“So hopefully back end of December we’ll see him, rather than into January, and what a boost that will be to get him straight back as well.”
When Konate could return
Liverpool play five more times before the end of the month, starting with the visit of Fulham to Anfield on Saturday.
After that comes a trip to Southampton in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday night and an away clash with Tottenham next Sunday, with it likely Konate misses all three of those games.
But Lynch’s update suggests that the France international could become available between Christmas and New Year when Liverpool face Leicester at home (December 26) and West Ham away (December 29).
Slot has preferred Joe Gomez as partner to Virgil van Dijk in Konate’s absence and there is no indication that will change until he is back.
There have been encouraging signs from the No. 2 despite a hit-and-miss display against Newcastle, which means there is less need to rush Konate’s return.
• READ: Gomez explains how close he was to leaving Liverpool in the summer
Still, having him back involved before the end of the year would be a huge positive as Liverpool look to continue their outstanding season into 2025.
