Fabrizio Romano has revealed that he expects Liverpool to wrap up the signing of Ibrahima Konate in the near future.

What has Fabrizio Romano said about Konate joining Liverpool?

Liverpool's interest in Konate has been widely publicised for a number of months, but an official announcement on him moving to Anfield has yet to be made.

Romano believes there is no need for the club's supporters to be concerned, though, and has claimed that a deal between Liverpool and RB Leipzig for the player is close to being finalised.

Speaking on The Here We Go Podcast, Romano said: "It is just a matter of time. So, the agreement between Ibrahima Konate and Liverpool is done – five-year contract, Konate wants to go to Liverpool. They are preparing everything but Konate has decided to join Liverpool.

"It’s time now for Liverpool to pay the clause or negotiate with Leipzig to pay something a bit less than the clause – it will be complicated. But, it is just a matter of when they are paying. So, Konate is set to join Liverpool, and also, people close to the player expect everything to be completed soon, so that’s it. I think Konate will be playing for Liverpool."

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How much will Liverpool pay to sign Konate?

Romano indicated that the exact fee that Liverpool will pay is one of the final hurdles in the way of the deal being completed.

Last month, it was reported that Liverpool would have to cough up £30.5m to sign Konate. However, it was confirmed just days later that his release clause is actually as high as £40m.

Still, Liverpool seem prepared to match this figure, and Romano has even suggested that they may be able to bring Konate's price-tag down once they have held further discussions with Leipzig.

Why are Liverpool signing Konate?

With the Frenchman only turning 22 later this month, he appears to have a bright future ahead of him.

Although his game time has been limited this season due to injuries, he has still shown that he is a well-rounded modern-day central defender. 

The 6 foot 4 centre-back has won 2.1 aerial duels and made 1.6 clearances per game in the Bundesliga, as per WhoScored.

He is also capable of playing out from the back - a key attribute in Jurgen Klopp's side - as he has a pass success rate of 86.7% in 2020/21.

Is he the perfect partner for Virgil van Dijk?

If he can stay fit, he could well be.

Van Dijk has been hugely important to Liverpool's success in recent years, as the team conceded just 33 goals when they won the league last season. They have already shipped 39 this time around, with van Dijk absent for most of the campaign, and they still have five games to play.

His return to the side will be welcomed next year, but he needs a suitable partner alongside him. This is where Konate comes into play.

Joe Gomez and Joel Matip have both suffered serious injuries this season, highlighting how Klopp may not be able to rely on them to play a major role in 2021/22. 

Meanwhile, Konate has managed to stay injury-free since February, and appears to be building up his fitness nicely.

If he can avoid any setbacks heading into next year, he could slot in seamlessly next to van Dijk, and help Liverpool move back into title contention.