France boss Didier Deschamps is ready to play Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate ahead of William Saliba at the Euro 2024
Didier Deschamps is ready to partner Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate with Dayot Upamecano ahead of William Saliba at Euro 2024. Konate suffered a drastic dip in form with Liverpool at the end of last season despite playing a key role.
The 25-year-old struggled to keep his starting place for the Reds, missing the final four Premier League games last season. Former boss Jurgen Klopp preferred Jarell Quansah ahead of Konate in the latter stages as the Frenchman stayed on the bench.
Meanwhile, William Saliba played a crucial role for Arsenal but the tactics deployed by Mikel Arteta covered the defender immensely. In many games Arsenal played a heavily defensive tactic, parking the bus despite having several top players in defensive positions.
According to the French publication L’Equipe, Deschamps prefers a partnership of Konate and Upamecano over Saliba despite Konate’s struggle last season. France plays a more frequently attacking football and their defenders would need to fend off the counter-attacking situation in Euros.
The decision is based on those factors as Deschamps trusts Konate to cover the offensive style. Despite his significant drop in form, majority of the Liverpool fans believe that the 25-year-old will bounce back next season.
The Frenchman possesses the qualities and consistency to be a world-class defender for many years as he reaches his prime. However, the nagging injuries throughout his Liverpool career have hindered his progression as his competitors continue to prove their worth.
Quansah’s drastic rise in the Reds’ senior team earned him the opportunity with the England national teams for the Euros. Klopp rotated Konate and Quansah throughout last season to maintain the fitness of the Frenchman, guarding him from nagging injuries.
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Liverpool fans have always praised Konate as one of the best defenders in the Premier League. They would be happy to know that Deschamps shares their feelings as he opted to put the 25-year-old over Saliba, a defender overly praised for his defensive prowess, particularly by Arsenal fans.
