In the summer of 2020, Liverpool were in need of a centre-back. The club had recently sold Dejan Lovren to Zenit St. Petersburg for around £11m according to reports, which left Jurgen Klopp with just three options in the heart of his defence.
The Reds had Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk at their disposal and as a result, links emerged with a number of transfer options. Ben White, who was at Brighton and Hove Albion at the time, was one of the names who was strongly tipped for a move but nothing transpired.
Liverpool made the controversial decision to wait for a full season before signing Ibrahima Konate in the summer of 2021. The French defender arrived from RB Leipzig for £36m, and he's since proved to be a big prospect, especially considering he's just 22 years-old.
The overall decision to wait might have cost Liverpool the Premier League title in 2020/21 - as Van Dijk, Gomez and Matip all suffered from season-ending injuries - but now, the club's defence looks strong and set up for the future.
White has since moved from Brighton to Arsenal for a hefty £50m fee and this weekend, he'll come up against Liverpool as the Reds attempt to shorten the gap between themselves and Manchester City at the top of the table.
The Gunners centre-back is experiencing a strong campaign. He's started 24 of his team's 26 matches this season, and Arsenal's defensive approach seems far more watertight than in previous years.
White has proved to be capable of executing Mikel Arteta's proactive brand of football with and without the ball, which explains why Liverpool developed an interest in his services some years ago.
However, despite his strengths, it is reasonable to suggest that Konate is more of a complete centre-back, and he seems more suited to Klopp's intense and direct playing style.
The Frenchman is considerably more physical than White. Pep Lijnders - Klopp's assistant - has described Konate as a 'beast' in the past. "In terms of physics, he can catch so many players and he's strong in the air," said the Dutchman after the Anfield outfit beat Manchester United by five goals to nil in October.
Klopp has also highlighted his perks. After signing him last summer, he stated: "His physical attributes are very impressive; he is quick, he is very strong and he is dominant in the air."
He stands around 6-foot-4, and his presence allows him to dominate opponents in the air. Konate has lost just nine of his 41 aerial duels in the Premier League this season, which leaves him with a success rate of 78%.
White, by contrast, ranks as one of the shortest centre-backs in England's top-flight as he's under 6ft tall, and that is reflected in his aerial success. He's won 54 battles in the air but lost a further 36, leaving him with a win rate of 60%.
Despite Konate's size, he's quicker than most of his peers of that has allowed Klopp to field him as a direct opponent against speedsters such as Marcus Rashford and Timo Werner.
Considering the physically challenging nature of Liverpool's approach under Klopp, it is imperative for his centre-backs to be dominant and assertive in one-on-one situations.
“As a pressing team you have to accept a lot of long balls and second balls," says Lijnders, "so it’s important you have centre-backs who are good in the air so they can win the first challenge.”
On the ball, White could be perceived as better but when it comes to progressive passes this season, Konate is actually averaging slightly more on a per-90 basis. He's shown to be comfortable in possession, even when pressurised.
Ultimately, as has been so often the case in recent years, Liverpool seem to have made yet another productive decision surrounding player recruitment.
White is showcasing his promise at the Emirates but in Konate, the Reds have landed a future star who is perfectly built to cope with Klopp's relentless demands.
