Journalist: Liverpool ‘in talks’ to end ongoing transfer … — and more

Positive Signs Emerge in Liverpool Contract Talks with Ibrahima Konate

Liverpool’s 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest kept their Premier League ambitions alive, but off the pitch the focus is increasingly shifting towards the future of key players. On Media Matters for Anfield Index, David Lynch offered encouraging insight into the club’s contract talks with Ibrahima Konate, whose current deal is set to expire in June.

At a time when stability is crucial, Lynch’s update suggested there is genuine cause for optimism.

Talks Ongoing Between Liverpool and Konate Camp

Lynch was clear that discussions are active and not one sided speculation. “Liverpool are in talks as I understand it and that is corroborated on both sides of the deal by the way. That’s Liverpool and the player’s camp.”

That line carries weight. In a season filled with uncertainty around performances and recruitment, confirmation that dialogue is open and constructive provides reassurance. Lynch stressed that “we know that it’s not over yet,” but the tone was notably positive.

There is no sense of a stalled situation or imminent exit. In fact, Lynch pointed to the absence of serious external noise as another encouraging indicator.

No Major Transfer Links Circulating

One of the strongest signals, according to Lynch, is what is not being reported.

“The upside is we’re not hearing any big links to anyone yet in terms of moves for him,” he explained. In the modern Premier League landscape, silence can often be as meaningful as headlines.

He went further when discussing speculation about interest from abroad. “For me, it’s just not really a topic at the moment,” Lynch said, dismissing the idea of imminent approaches. “I haven’t heard anything just yet about actual interest in him or that he’s going to go anywhere.”

With his contract expiring in June, the absence of aggressive suitors or advanced talks elsewhere suggests Liverpool retain control of the situation.

Photo: IMAGO

Konate’s Importance to Liverpool

Beyond the contractual mechanics, Lynch emphasised Konate’s footballing value. “He’s just an absolutely massive player, isn’t he?” he said, underlining the scale of the defender’s importance.

Despite acknowledging that Konate has endured “a really difficult season,” Lynch contextualised that assessment. “We can all see why that’s been the case and that doesn’t erase what he’s been over the last kind of four years for Liverpool, which is absolutely brilliant.”

That broader view matters. Form fluctuates, particularly in a side that has struggled for consistency. But pedigree and peak level remain intact.

Lynch also highlighted the practical implications of losing Konate. “If there’s going to be turnover again in the squad this summer, that’s not going to be helpful. We don’t want another transition season coming up.”

In short, continuity at centre half strengthens Liverpool’s platform.

Case for a Breakthrough Before June

Lynch stopped short of declaring a deal imminent, but his desire for clarity was evident. “I would love to hear some positive breakthrough news about that,” he admitted.

The tone, however, remained hopeful rather than anxious. There is active dialogue, no confirmed external push, and recognition on both sides of Konate’s value.

With Liverpool locked in a tight Premier League battle for Champions League qualification, securing Konate’s future would represent more than administrative housekeeping. It would signal intent.

As Lynch framed it, maintaining stability in key positions is essential. Konate’s renewal would reduce uncertainty, preserve defensive quality and allow recruitment focus to shift elsewhere.

For now, the message is measured but optimistic. Talks are ongoing, interest from elsewhere appears limited, and both Liverpool and Konate’s representatives are engaged. In a season defined by narrow margins, that may be one of the most encouraging developments yet.

British number one Jack Draper marks his post-injury return to action on the ATP Tour with a straight-set win over Frenchman Quentin Halys at the Dubai Tennis Championships.

Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn claims she nearly lost her leg after a string of injuries during the Winter Games and, for the first time, reveals just how close she was to losing her limb.

“I’ll give you the full rundown,” Vonn said, looking back on her experience. “Basically, I had a complex tibia fracture. I also fractured my fibular head, my tibial plateau. Just kind of everything was in pieces.”

She also explained how her injuries were further complicated by compartment syndrome, which is a serious medical condition characterized by high pressure in muscles resulting from swelling and internal bleeding.

“The reason it was so complex was because I had compartment syndrome,” Vonn said. “And compartment syndrome is when you have so much trauma to one area of your body that there’s too much blood and it gets stuck, and it basically crushes everything in the compartment. So all the muscle and nerves and tendons, it all kind of dies.”

She also tore her ACL and broke her ankle in the accident.

She credited orthopedic surgeon Dr. Tom Hackett for saving her leg. “Doctor Tom Hackett saved my leg. He saved my leg from being amputated,” Vonn said. “He did what’s called a fasciotomy, where he cut open both sides of my leg, kind of flayed it open, so to speak, let it breathe. And he saved me.”

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Geno Auriemma breaks AP Top 25 record as UConn stays perfect at No. 1 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

There are milestones in sports that feel ceremonial. This one feels earned.

On Monday, Geno Auriemma made his 655th career appearance in the Associated Press Top 25, breaking the record he previously shared with Tara VanDerveer for the most by any coach in the history of the women’s poll. It is another layer added to a resume that already reads like a blueprint for sustained excellence.

And fittingly, it comes with UConn sitting exactly where it has so often lived under his watch: at the top.

A number that reflects decades, not weeks

Six hundred fifty-five rankings is not about one special team.

It is about generation after generation of players who bought into a standard. It is about surviving injuries, expectations and evolving competition. It is about adjusting without slipping.

Auriemma has built a program where being ranked is not the goal. It is the floor. The expectation is deeper than that. Compete for championships. Every year.

This week is simply another example.

UConn looks every bit the part

The Huskies are 29-0 and the unanimous No. 1 team in the country. All 31 voters placed them atop the poll. They are the last unbeaten team in Division I and have now won 45 consecutive games dating back to last season.

This team does not just win. It controls games. It defends at a high level, shares the ball and closes with poise. When the fourth quarter tightens, UConn rarely looks rattled. That calm traces back to the sideline.

Auriemma’s teams often mirror his personality. Demanding. Disciplined. Confident.

The contenders are closing in

Behind UConn, the top five remains unchanged.

UCLA holds steady at No. 2 after celebrating its first outright league title. South Carolina sits at No. 3, once again proving it can handle the grind of the SEC. Texas is No. 4 with one of the most complete rosters in the country. Vanderbilt rounds out the top five and has survived several tight matchups against ranked opponents.

Each of those teams has a case as a national title threat. But all of them know that the standard still runs through UConn.

Shifts inside the top 10

There was movement just outside that elite tier.

LSU climbed to No. 6 after a strong week. Oklahoma jumped to No. 7, one of the more notable rises in the poll. Iowa surged to No. 9 after beating Michigan in a pivotal Big Ten showdown that tightened that conference race.

Michigan slipped to No. 8 after the loss. Louisville checks in at No. 10. Duke fell to No. 12 after its 17-game winning streak ended at Clemson. Ohio State now sits at No. 13 after dropping two of its last three games.

The Big Ten race feels especially tense. Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State and Maryland are all fighting for position as the regular season winds down.

MORE: ESPN analyst slams Tennessee's Kim Caldwell over abandoning her team

Tennessee’s unexpected fall

One of the most surprising developments this week is Tennessee dropping out of the rankings.

The Lady Vols lost to Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Oklahoma and have now dropped seven of their last nine games. They had been ranked in 31 straight polls before this week.

For a program built on tradition and consistency, it is a difficult stretch. And with LSU and Vanderbilt still ahead, there is little room to regroup.

Conference depth on display

The SEC leads all conferences with nine ranked teams. The Big Ten follows with seven. The Big 12 has four, the ACC has three, and both the Ivy League and Big East have one.

That depth has created a tight national picture. There are very few nights off, and every loss shifts momentum.

Still, the headline belongs to Auriemma.

Six hundred fifty-five appearances in the AP Top 25 is more than a statistic. It is proof of a standard that has refused to dip, even as the sport around it has changed.

UConn is undefeated. March is approaching. And Geno Auriemma, once again, is exactly where he has been for most of the past three decades: at the center of the conversation.

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