Zlatan Ibrahimovic has heaped praise on Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate after playing each other in the UEFA Champions League.
Konate arrived at Anfield this season from German club RB Leipzig but has been in and out of the side due to the form of Joel Matip.
When he has been asked to step in by manager Jurgen Klopp, the £36million signing has largely played well but his performance at the San Siro earlier this month led to Ibrahimovic particularly impressed.
Ibrahimovic was spotted swapping shirts with Liverpool's summer signing after the Reds won 2-1 in Milan on December 7.
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Though Konate was unable to prevent his side from keeping a clean sheet that night, he put in an assured performance and was singled out by Ibrahimovic for his display.
“I asked to exchange shirts with Liverpool defender Konate," the Swede said.
"He won all the fights with me on the ground and in the air.
"I told him that he will be a great defender in the future and that he [should] remember my words well.”
Konate deputised for Virgil van Dijk in Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.
With Van Dijk a doubt for Wednesday's League Cup clash against Leicester City, Konate is expected to start again alongside Matip.
