Liverpool are said to be “keen to trigger” the £50 million release clause in Dean Huijsen’s contract, but this comes with “concern” over Ibrahima Konate.
Bournemouth centre-back Huijsen will be available this summer due to a clause in his contract, with interested clubs able to sign him for £50 million.
While that may seem steep for a 20-year-old in his first season in the Premier League there is evidence to suggest he Spain international will develop into a world-class defender.
Given his age and upscale it is no surprise Liverpool are among the sides hoping to sign him, with journalist David Lynch writing on X that they are “keen to trigger” his release clause.
This comes after The Athletic‘s David Ornstein reported “firm interest” from Anfield while naming Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle and Tottenham as fellow suitors.
Liverpool are already claimed to have held talks with Huijsen’s camp, with there little need for negotiations with Bournemouth as the fee is already set.
Real Madrid, who would likely be the player’s preferred destination, are reported by The Athletic‘s Mario Cortegena as unlikely to pay £50 million, expecting him to join another Premier League club.
The suggestion is that Huijsen and Bournemouth would prefer a resolution sooner rather than later and that may suit Liverpool as they plan for a busy summer.
Huijsen could replace Konate
In his analysis on YouTube, Lynch argued that Huijsen is more similar to Virgil van Dijk than he is Konate, which may be concerning given doubts over the Frenchman’s future.
Liverpool are in talks with Konate over a new long-term contract, with his current deal set to expire in 2026, but the Times claim he is seeking a two-and-a-half-times increase on his salary to £200,000 per week amid interest from Paris Saint-Germain.
It could be argued that the No. 5 is worth such a wage, particularly given Van Dijk is now known to earn in the region of £385,000 a week, but Lynch understands there is a “concern” over Konate’s situation.
“Things seem to have changed”
Speaking to Anfield Index, he revealed that journalists weren’t being given “great encouragement” over talks with the 25-year-old’s representatives.
“I was getting that a while ago and things seem to have changed a little bit which is interesting,” Lynch, whose work can be followed on Substack, said.
“Maybe that PSG interest is turning his head, but it’s just another thing Liverpool are going to have to do this summer.
“A little bit of a concern I would say going into the summer but there’s still time to sort it out so we’ll see if there’s any movement on that.”
