Karim Konaté: RB Salzburg’s next gem who has already made international history – scout report

Karim Konaté is one of the rising stars in the Red Bull network. He moved to RB Salzburg in July 2022 and is currently out on loan to second-league club FC Liefering which is part of the RB cosmos. Therefore, he also plays in the UEFA Youth League for RB Salzburg’s U19.

Konaté is a product of ASEC Mimosas academy. This famous youth system produced many fantastic players in recent years such as Bonaventure Kalou, Didier Zokora, Emmanuel Eboué, Bakari Koné, Gervinho, Salomon Kalou, Romaric, Boubacar Barry, Didier Ya Konan, Kolo Touré, Yaya Touré and Odilon Kossounou. Karim has been a real sensation in the Ivorian Ligue 1 since he made his debut in 2020 at the age of only 16.

He debuted with the Ivory Coast national team on 3 March 2021 in a 0–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification tie with Mozambique. In January 2022, he was the youngest player at the Africa Cup of Nations.

This tactical analysis provides an in-depth scout report of Salzburgs Karim Konaté and examines the 18-year-old’s playing style and characteristics. In addition to understanding how and where Konaté plays, this analysis will also identify the style of tactics where he is most likely to thrive. Is he the next player to make his way into elite football under Matthias Jaissle?

Player profile

Karim Konaté is the latest prospect who came from Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas and their academy which is known as Académie MimoSifcom. The 18-year-old is a pure striker with excellent instincts inside the penalty area who is continuing to develop his ability to play on the wings and contribute to his team’s attacking build-up.

Konaté is very elusive and slippery, making him hard to track whether dribbling or off the ball due to his top-level acceleration and speed. In addition to his skill as a goal scorer who can regularly get behind the defence and attack the ball in the air, Konaté serves as an excellent outlet who can hold the ball up on the wings.

At this point, the most important area for Konaté to improve is his ball efficiency. His urgent style of play leads to moments when he attempts to do too much with his passing when the simple option is best. However, if Konaté can find a way to be more involved throughout the ninety minutes and improve his strength as well as his effectiveness with his back-to-goal, the sky is the limit for the young Ivorian.

Athleticism

Konaté is known for his elite-level acceleration and speed. He is an explosive player who flies by defenders and gets up to top speed rapidly. Additionally, he provides excellent agility. Therefore, it is easy for him to glide through traffic, and he thrives when operating in tight spaces.

Konaté is a slick dribbler who is not afraid to take on defenders. The young striker is rarely dispossessed when engaged by only one defender due to his close control of the ball.