Liverpool have warned they are now in a seriously \u201cdifficult\u201d spot over Ibrahima Konate\u2019s future, with Fabrizio Romano revealing Real Madrid\u2019s exact plans for the defender, though other sources have given Arne Slot some hope of retaining the player.<\/p>\n
The Frenchman joined the Reds in a \u00a336m (\u20ac40m) deal from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2021, and he has gone on to become one of the most trusted defenders in the world game. Forming a strong alliance with Virgil van Dijk, their rock-solid partnership at the back was a significant factor in Liverpool<\/a>\u2018s 2024\/25 Premier League title triumph.<\/p>\n However, his deal at Anfield is due to expire in June 202,6 and ongoing efforts to secure the player down to a new deal have been met with frustration.<\/p>\n At one stage last autumn, it looked as though Konate<\/a> was closing in on an extension with the Reds. But some 12 months down the line, the 26-year-old is still yet to put pen to paper, and with Real Madrid<\/a> persistently linked, another defection from Merseyside to Madrid now looks an increasingly likely prospect.<\/p>\n \u201cReal Madrid don\u2019t forget the name of Ibrahima Konate because his situation compared to Saliba has always been different,\u201d\u00a0Romano said on his YouTube channel<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cFor Saliba, there were active conversations to extend, but for Konate, the situation has always been complicated since November.<\/p>\n \u201cA new contract at Liverpool was quite close in October\/November 2024, then there were some changes in the conversation and now the conversation is still difficult.<\/p>\n \u201cLiverpool are still trying to extend the contract of Konate, and they made new attempts in August, but at the moment it looks difficult. It looks complicated.<\/p>\n \u201cSo Konate is one of the names we have to keep on Real Madrid\u2019s shortlist because they love a free transfer, because Konate is a player they appreciate and because Real Madrid have a very good relationship with the agents of Konate.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, for sure, Konate is still a possibility for Real Madrid. Until January, nothing will happen because Real Madrid will never do anything illegal by negotiating or agreeing with the player before January.<\/p>\n \u201cIf he doesn\u2019t extend the contract, Konate is going to be free to talk with any club and so Real Madrid is a possibility.\u201d<\/p>\n However,\u00a0 move to Real Madrid might not be quite as cut and dried as previously felt if other sources are to be believed\u2026<\/p>\n IN-DEPTH<\/strong>\u00a0\ud83d\udd34\u00a0Who are Ibrahima Konate\u2019s agents, and what does he earn at Liverpool?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Real Madrid have some Konate reservations<\/strong><\/p>\n In addition to Romano, both ESPN and Goal have provided updates over the 25-times capped France defender\u2019s future.<\/p>\n Starting with ESPN<\/a>, they confirm that the club are giving serious thought to signing a new defender in 2026 in the expectation that David Alaba will likely move on.<\/p>\n However, with William Saliba\u2019s decision to sign a new deal at Arsenal this week now seen as a crushing blow to their transfer plans, the club appear divided on whether to now move for Konate as an alternative \u2013 and it seems they do have other options in mind.<\/p>\n They state that at Madrid \u2018there is some internal debate\u2019 within the club over a move for Konate.<\/p>\n Some at the club view Konate as the latest candidate for a policy that has seen Madrid recruit other top players, such as Trent Alexander-Arnold,\u00a0Kylian Mbappe,\u00a0Antonio Rudiger, and Alaba, on free transfers in recent years.<\/p>\n However, in hope for Liverpool, they state\u00a0\u2018there is not the same degree of unanimity inside the club over Konate as there was in the case of Alexander-Arnold\u2019.<\/p>\n Furthermore, they are also looking at alternative options, which, according to Goal<\/a>, are either Castello Lukeba, of\u00a0RB Leipzig, or promoting highly-rated\u00a0\u00a0youth team prospect, Joan Martinez, just 18, into the first-team picture.<\/p>\n Despite looking at Lukeba and Tottenham Hotspur\u2019s Micky van den Ven, our reporter Dean Jones believes Konate is the most likely next centre-back star at Real Madrid<\/a>.<\/p>\n Jones says: \u201cI was told Konate was the one they have considered most likely but clearly they have eyes on other players too. It is interesting that they are also now being linked with\u00a0Micky van de Ven\u00a0because I have heard that this might be a situation to watch across this season.<\/p>\n \u201cAt this stage, I don\u2019t believe there is any contact involved or anything like that, but Madrid want to turn people\u2019s heads and if Van de Ven looks to raise his profile from Spurs, then it is feasible he would see Madrid as a potential place to move to.<\/p>\n \u201cI think he has been a player of interest to them for quite a while, so we will have to wait and see if they make the jump to a more active pursuit.\u201d<\/p>\n Latest Liverpool news: Bayern Munich sets out demands; mouthwatering triple deal<\/strong><\/p>\n As far as Konate replacements go,\u00a0Dayot Upamecano has reportedly made his \u2018demands\u2019 clear to Bayern Munich amid interest from Liverpool<\/a>, with Real Madrid also eyeing a move for the central defender next summer.<\/p>\n Upamecano is not the only player that Liverpool and Real Madrid are competing for.<\/p>\n