Ralf Rangnick names Liverpool star he 'instantly fell in love with' - it's no Mo Salah or Virgil van Dijk

Former Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick has spoken of his admiration for Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate.

The France international has been one of the Reds’ standout performers this season. He’s been Virgil van Dijk’s regular centre-back partner with Liverpool topping the Premier League table and Champions League standings. Konate has made a total of 16 appearances, scoring two goals and helped Arne Slot’s side record 10 clean sheets.

Konate joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig for £36 million in the summer of 2021. He proved a huge hit at the German side, having been signed on a free transfer from French outfit Sochaux four years earlier. Rangnick was Leipzig’s head coach at the time and speaking to Canal+ (via Get Football News France) and said in a video message to Konate: “I remember very well the day our scouting department in Leipzig showed clips from your Sochaux games. I instantly fell in love with your game.

“I saw straight away you were an amazing person and player with a top-class upbringing. All of the latter proved true. You are without doubt the best signing, or one of the best signings, we did at Leipzig in the last 12 years.” In reply, a touched Konate said: “He’s an extremely important person to me.”

In total, Konate has made 106 appearances for Liverpool, netting five times. The 25-year-old is now on international duty with France and is a contender to captain Les Bleus with Kylian Mbappe being left out of Didier Deschamps’ squad following his summer move to Real Madrid.