Arsenal target sensational swoop for RB Leipzig central defender Ibrahima Konate as Gunners consider centre-back reinforcements in summer transfer window. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Arsenal have added RB Leizpig defender Ibrahima Konate to their list of summer transfer window targets as they consider a move for the highly-rated RB Leizpig man.
Already certain to be a busy summer in north London, the list continues to grow each week as speculation circulates, with transfers in and out needing to take place in almost every position across the team.
Despite offloading two centre-backs in January in Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis, Arsenal are still heavily stocked in that department but all could change come the summer with more departures expected.
Mikel Arteta currently has two central defenders (right sided ones at that) away from the club on loan, with in-house options Calum Chambers, Rob Holding and David Luiz making up the rest of the group.
Arsenal target sensational swoop for RB Leipzig central defender Ibrahima Konate as Gunners consider centre-back reinforcements in summer transfer window
That hasn’t prevented the Gunners from drawing up a list of targets, with the Evening Standard reporting they’ve thrown their hat in the ring for RB Leipzig’s Ibrahima Konate.
The 21-year-old makes up one half of a formidable centre-back pairing for Julian Nagelsmann’s side alongside Dayot Upamecano, a player that Arsenal have also been heavily tracking over recent seasons. German outlet BILD reported back in the summer of 2019 that Leipzig turned down a hefty £54.7m bid from Arsenal, who along with the rest of Europe have now missed out as Upamecano will join Bayern Munich at the end of the season.
His fellow countryman is no major downgrade, however, as Konate continues to earn praise across Europe as the quintessential modern centre-half.
He’s being tracked in the hope he could become available in the summer, but the club are not alone in his signature with big-hitters across the continent – including Chelsea and Liverpool – keen on luring the promising defender away from the Red Bull Arena.
Is he someone Arsenal could logistically snare?
#afc</a> Arsenal are one of a number of clubs tracking RB Leipzig defender Ibrahima Konate ahead of the summer transfer window.</p>
<p>Club looking at possibility of signing another centre-back.</p>
<p>More here: <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/03/04/arsenal-sensational-move-ibrahima-konate/"https://t.co/86sHZyqLqw">https://t.co/86sHZyqLqw
<p>— Simon Collings (@sr_collings) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/03/04/arsenal-sensational-move-ibrahima-konate/"https://twitter.com/sr_collings/status/1367385379939172354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>March 4, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
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<h2>Arsenal target sensational swoop for RB Leipzig central defender Ibrahima Konate as Gunners consider centre-back reinforcements in summer transfer window</h2>
<p>That hasn’t prevented the Gunners from drawing up a list of targets, with the <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/03/04/arsenal-sensational-move-ibrahima-konate/"https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/ibrahima-konate-arsenal-transfer-target-mikel-arteta-wants-rb-leipzig-defender-in-summer-b922031.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evening Standard</a> reporting they’ve thrown their hat in the ring for RB Leipzig’s <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/03/04/arsenal-sensational-move-ibrahima-konate/"https://fbref.com/en/players/5ed9b537/Ibrahima-Konate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ibrahima Konate</a>.</p>
<p>The 21-year-old makes up one half of a formidable centre-back pairing for Julian Nagelsmann’s side alongside Dayot Upamecano, a player that Arsenal have also been heavily tracking over recent seasons. German outlet <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/03/04/arsenal-sensational-move-ibrahima-konate/"https://www.bild.de/bild-plus/sport/fussball/fussball/bundesligia-klub-lehnt-arsenal-angebot-ueber-60-millionen-ab-63767592,view=conversionToLogin.bild.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BILD</a> reported back in the summer of 2019 that Leipzig turned down a hefty £54.7m bid from Arsenal, who along with the rest of Europe have now missed out as Upamecano will join Bayern Munich at the end of the season.</p>
<p>His fellow countryman is no major downgrade, however, as Konate continues to earn praise across Europe as the quintessential modern centre-half.</p>
<p>He’s being tracked in the hope he could become available in the summer, but the club are not alone in his signature with big-hitters across the continent – including Chelsea and Liverpool – keen on luring the promising defender away from the Red Bull Arena.</p>
<p>Is he someone Arsenal could logistically snare?</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/03/04/arsenal-sensational-move-ibrahima-konate/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Arsenal's chances of signing Ibrahima Konate </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-112694" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/03/04/arsenal-sensational-move-ibrahima-konate/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1286902194-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Ibrahima Konate" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY – NOVEMBER 21: Tyler Adams (L) and Ibrahima Konate of Leipzig react after the Bundesliga match between Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig at Deutsche Bank Park on November 21, 2020 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Ronald Wittek – Pool/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2><span style="color: inherit">Arsenal’s Chances of Signing Ibrahima Konate</span></h2>
<p>Is it a mere pipe-dream at this stage? Supporters have to be realistic at the predicament the club are entrenched in as finance and European standing will play a major part in whether they can complete the business they desire.</p>
<p>Given the German club’s regular flirtings with the Champions League and their legitimate challenge for the Bundesliga title this season, Konate will understandably expect to move, if he so desires, to a side fighting for similar honours.</p>
<p>Come the summer the Frenchman will have two years to run on his current contract, making it an ideal time to either sell him for a healthy sum or tie him down longer. However, as seen with Upamecano, the RB Leizpig model regularly allows players of value to depart to maintain a healthy bank balance. For that reason, he could be a viable option.</p>
<p>So much will depend on where <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/03/04/arsenal-sensational-move-ibrahima-konate/"https://www.90min.com/teams/arsenal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arsenal</a> finish in the Premier League table. A Champions League berth via the top four is out of their control, while even a Europa League spot is a tall order given the strength of those above them and the wretched situation to club plunged themselves into with their torrid November/December spell of form.</p>
<p>No fee is mentioned but given the quality of the player and the expected bidding war to come, his asking price could reach a figure beyond the Gunners’ reach. It’s no secret that they need to sell to raise funds, and it will require some smooth business operations from Edu and co to raise as much money from those no longer wanted in north London.</p>
<p>From realistically to logistically, do Arsenal <em>need </em>Konate?</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/03/04/arsenal-sensational-move-ibrahima-konate/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Do Arsenal need Ibrahima Konate? </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-112692" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/03/04/arsenal-sensational-move-ibrahima-konate/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1291762681-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Ibrahima Konate" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">SINSHEIM, GERMANY – DECEMBER 16: Ibrahima Konate of RB Leipzig in action during the Bundesliga match between TSG Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig at PreZero-Arena on December 16, 2020 in Sinsheim, Germany. (Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Do Arsenal Need Ibrahima Konate?</h2>
<p>As it stands, Arsenal’s list of right-sided centre backs reads: Rob Holding, David Luiz, Calum Chambers, <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/03/04/arsenal-sensational-move-ibrahima-konate/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/03/03/arsenal-future-saliba-mavropanos-arteta/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">William Saliba and Konstantinos Mavropanos</a>.</p>
<p>No club anywhere requires having five central defenders on the right side unless they’re regularly adopting a back three. Even then it’s a large number.</p>
<p>As stated, the pursuit of Konate will hinge on developments in the futures of three of the above; Luiz is out of contract in the summer and a renewal isn’t certain; Chambers is a fringe player at best and on course to be moved on, while Mavropanos is tied down long-term and garnering rave reviews in Germany meaning Arsenal could scoop a tidy profit for his signature.</p>
<p>With that in mind, it would potentially leave Arteta with Holding and Saliba, the latter of whom has been regularly stated as having a huge future in the club but is nonetheless untested at Premier League level and only 19 years old.</p>
<p>Holding has had a superb season, one that has contributed to a vastly improved defensive showing, but he is not an elite defender. Solid? Yes. That doesn’t mean he can’t be upgraded, though.</p>
<p>In theory this indicates that centre-back will be of need, yet Arsenal have countless other areas to tend to including goalkeeper, left-back, <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/03/04/arsenal-sensational-move-ibrahima-konate/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/03/03/arsenal-transfer-juventus-bellerin-swap/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">potentially a right-back if Hector Bellerin leaves as expected</a>, central midfield, attacking midfield and very likely a striker, too. Many of these positions are arguably more important in the context of the rebuild.</p>
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<p>Due to that, a centre-back could wait. They have to prioritise the gaping weaknesses first. However, as a supporter it’s reassuring to see the club aiming high in the transfer market for players of Konate’s ability – he’s quick, strong, tall, fiercely competitive and continuously improving in possession. An exciting summer awaits.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
