Liverpool still plan on signing RB Leipzig defender Ibrahima Konate for £40m this summer despite the Merseyside club announcing pre-tax losses of £46m for this financial year
- Liverpool remain in talks to sign RB Leipzig defender Ibrahima Konate this year
- The Reds are set to unlock the £40m release clause for the French defender
- The deal will not be affected by Liverpool’s pre-tax losses announced on Tuesday
- Owner John W Henry still plans on investing despite a £46m loss up to May 2020
- Liverpool estimate the cost of the coronavirus pandemic will go beyond £120m
Liverpool remain on course to sign Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig this summer in a £40million transfer despite posting a £46m pre-tax loss in their accounts on Tuesday.
The Reds are prepared to trigger the buy out clause for the 21-year-old French centre-back once Leipzig finish their Bundesliga season.
Owners FSG are continuing to invest in Jurgen Klopp’s squad despite accounts indicating the total cost of the pandemic to be around £120m and rising.
Liverpool still plan on signing Ibrahima Konate for £40m despite announcing a £46m tax loss
The Reds uploaded their accounts up to May 2020 and predicted the cost of the pandemic is set to rise beyond £120m
The accounts cover the year up to May 31 2020, of which only the final three months were affected by Covid-19.
Overall revenue stands at £490m, a drop of £43m from last year. That can be attributed to a drop of £59m in media revenue with the league season, having extended into July due to the pandemic, and a drop of £13m in match day revenue with the final four home games of last season played behind closed doors.
Commercial revenue rose by £29m to £217m thanks to new partnerships and retail growth, notably record-breaking sales of last season’s home shirt.
John W Henry still plans on investing in the squad despite the losses announced on Tuesday
Liverpool’s wage bill has risen to £325m with only Manchester City (£351m) paying more in terms of Premier League clubs.
Much of Liverpool’s increase is down to bonus payments made to players due to the club’s on-field successes – the Champions League triumph of 2019, as well as the European Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup victories.
Liverpool expect to sell Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri as they continue to re-shape their squad this summer.