Ibrahima Konate revealed he has gifted cookies to Liverpool's medical team for their efforts to get him back to full fitness quickly.
But when contract talks were on the menu yesterday, the Reds defender was less than forthcoming about how close he is to signing a new contract. Ahead of tonight's Champions League clash with Lille, 25-year-old Konate confirmed he has been offered a new contract by the club, but did not elaborate on whether he was close to signing.
He is the latest Liverpool star to consider a contract offer from the club. The French defender was offered a new contract earlier this season but has yet to put pen to paper with 18 months left on his current deal. Mo Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk have all been in talks with the club over new contracts, but they expire in the summer.
Konate said “yes” when asked if he was being offered a deal, but then added “that's a different conversation” when asked if he was about to sign. He previously said: “I think I'm really focused on what's happening now. We'll see what will happen.”
Konate returned to full fitness to face Manchester United earlier this month after overcoming a knee injury sooner than expected. The France center admitted he is playing through the pain to ensure he helps his teammates after Joe Gomez suffered a hamstring injury at the end of December, leaving the Reds without centre-backs.
And there was a special gift from Konate to the club's medical team as they helped him return faster after sustaining the injury during the 2-0 win over Real Madrid in November.
He said: “The plan was for me to train this week [before United game] but when I saw Joe with this injury I was like, 'Okay, I have to come back really quickly' and not really thinking about my knee.
“The first match I definitely felt it a little bit, but the pain got better day by day, it's fine, it's enough for me to play. The physios and medical staff did a really good job for me. Every day I spent, I don't know how long I spent every day at the club when I got injured, I was very happy and I thanked them with some cookies.
“They did very well with me this season. They never take a risk with me, it was me who was ready. I play with a little pain, but it's enough to play.”
Konate and Virgil van Dijk kept their seventh clean sheet as a duo in the Premier League this season as the Reds beat Brentford on Saturday to move six points clear at the top of the table. They have also kept five straight clean sheets in Europe and a point tonight against an in-form Ligue 1 side will see the Reds reach the last 16 stages of the Champions League.
Asked if his partnership with Van Dijk is the best in Europe, Konate added: “This season I think so.
“Everyone knows Virgil and everyone knows his quality, for me he is the best, no one is better than him in this position.
“I've never said it to him, but in interviews I've always said that I just want to be better than him one day and that's why I'm working hard to reach this level one day. He would be proud, I think.”
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