‘He has everything’: Michael Owen wowed by 'dangerous' Liverpool star who is the future after win v Wolves

It wasn’t pretty, but Liverpool moved to the top of the Premier League table by seeing off Wolves on Saturday.

Even though Gary O’Neil’s side are sitting bottom of the Premier League table and without a win, they made sure Arne Slot’s men had to seriously work for their points.

For large parts, it was a pretty flat 45 minutes, but just before the break, Ibrahima Konate headed Liverpool into the lead following a wicked cross from Diogo Jota.

But then the away side gifted Wolves a goal, following a mistake from Konate, before Mohamed Salah netted from the spot in what would be the three points.

Three of Liverpool’s starters at Wolves – Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all out of contract next summer.

No one is the wiser as to whether they will put pen-to-paper on a new deal because good luck trying to replace them.

Under Jurgen Klopp, all three were important figures and key reasons why the club won the lot under their legendary manager. 

So, that speaks for itself, but Michael Owen feels there could already be a replacement in town for van Dijk in the form of Konate. 

The 25-year-old signed from RB Leipzig in 2021, and when he hasn’t been in the treatment room, he has performed at a very high level, with those injuries the only negative point.

Owen thinks Konate has ‘everything’ to his game, even though he ‘still has a bit to learn’, but he feels he could reach van Dijk’s levels, as he told Premier League Productions (28/09/24 at 7:40 pm).

The former striker highlighted how ‘very dangerous’ the France international can be, as he displayed when he opened the scoring against Wolves.

Ibrahima Konate scores for Liverpool against Wolves

“Konate is already established, well established as a top centre-half,” said Owen. “A Brilliant centre-half. He has got everything and I think he could be the future.

“Virgil van Dijk is really at the peak of his powers at the moment, but Konate has still got a bit to learn. He is still a bit younger as well. Look forward to seeing him improve and maybe even get to Virgil’s standard one day. You never know.

On Konate’s goal: “He is very dangerous, isn’t he in this situation? The size, the athleticism. The leap. The power in the header. It’s brilliant from Jota. The turn of pace there. Bursts past his man and what about that for a ball? It’s so inviting. But you have got to be, for all those attributes, to attack the ball and head it down as well. It was a really good goal and just at the right time for Liverpool.”

Ibrahima Konate to replace Virgil van Dijk

The ideal situation for Slot would be for van Dijk to sign a new deal because it would allow Konate to take the torch in a more comfortable manner. 

You can’t see why van Dijk would leave because, at a minimum, they will remain in the Champions League next season.

READ MORE: £41m Liverpool player told he did something ‘sensational’ against Wolves at Molineux

So, if the Dutchman does go, then where to? Not another Premier League club and why would he go to France, Italy or Germany?

You can understand Spain – Real Madrid and Barcelona – but offers have to be there for him to go.