Liverpool dealt blow as star defender set to be out for up to 6 weeks after picking up injury in UCL clash: Reports

Ibrahima Konate is expected to miss five to six weeks of action after he sustained a knee injury during Liverpool's recent UEFA Champions League clash. Arne Slot's Liverpool defeated Real Madrid 2-0 in Round 5 of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, November 27.

Against Los Blancos, Konate performed decently, maintaining a passing accuracy of 93% and winning five duels. However, the Frenchman suffered a knee injury during the closing moments of the clash after colliding with Real Madrid's Endrick. Ibrahima Konate was seen leaving the ground with assistance after the collision.

Due to the injury, Konate will miss Liverpool's Premier League clash against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City on Sunday, December 1. He'll also miss the Reds' clash against Newcastle United and Everton in English top-tier football.

This season, the 25-year-old has made 15 appearances for the Reds across all competitions, bagging two goals and one assist. Additionally, Konate has helped the side keep 10 clean sheets across all competitions, and his absence is a huge blow for the Premier League leaders.

Meanwhile, Conor Bradley was also substituted in the second half due to a hamstring injury. He's undergoing scans and can potentially miss three to four weeks of action. However, Trent Alexander-Arnold would take Bradley's place as he has recovered from the hamstring injury he suffered against Aston Villa.

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Liverpool identify Trent Alexander-Arnold's replacement if he joins Real Madrid in winter: Reports

Arne Slot's Liverpool are reportedly looking forward to signing Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong if Trent Alexander-Arnold leaves the Merseyside club in winter, as per Sport Bild journalist Christian Falk. The English defender is currently linked with Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid as his current contract at Anfield will expire next summer.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is yet to sign a new deal with the Reds. As a result, the Reds see Frimpong as the replacement for the English defender. As per the aforementioned report, the Dutchman's release clause is expected to be around €40 million.

Frimpong joined Leverkusen from Celtic in January 2021 and since then, has made 160 appearances across all competitions, bagging 26 goals and 39 assists. The Dutchman has also won the Bundesliga, the German Cup, and the German Super Cup with Bayer Leverkusen. Apart from Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk's contract would also expire in the summer of 2025.