Ambitious reports in Spain claim Chelsea are planning to make a massive offer for a star Liverpool defender as manager Enzo Maresca looks to bring in a centre-back following the injury to Levi Colwill, and with the player\u2019s stance on potentially leaving Anfield for Stamford Bridge also coming to light.<\/p>\n
Liverpool<\/a> and Chelsea are two of the biggest clubs in England, and both have been very active in the summer transfer window. While Liverpool, who won the Premier League title last season, have made seven major signings, including Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong, Chelsea have brought in Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens and Liam Delap among eight new arrivals.<\/p>\n Chelsea<\/a> are also in talks to sign Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig and Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United, as the Blues plan to build on their Conference League and 2025 FIFA Club World Cup success to mount a challenge to win the Premier League title this season.<\/p>\n Signing a new centre-back before the close of the summer transfer window was not a priority, but Colwill\u2019s<\/a> serious knee injury appears to have forced Chelsea into a rethink.<\/p>\n Chelsea<\/a> manager Maresca has publicly said that replacing Colwill \u201cis a priority\u201d, and it has now been sensationally claimed in the Spanish media that last season\u2019s Conference League winners are planning a raid on Liverpool for Ibrahima Konate<\/a>.<\/p>\n According to Defensa Central<\/a>, Chelsea are preparing an offer of \u20ac50million (\u00a343.3m, $58.2m) to test Liverpool\u2019s resolve to keep the France international centre-back, who now has just 11 months remaining on his deal.<\/p>\n The Real Madrid<\/a>-centric news outlet has reported that \u20ac50million (\u00a343.3m, $58.2m) \u00a0is what Liverpool want for Konate, a claim that respected Spanish publication AS made on July 15.<\/p>\n The report has noted Madrid\u2019s interest in the 26-year-old, who was described as \u201cworld-class\u201d by Aston Villa and England international striker Ollie Watkins on Villa\u2019s YouTube channel in February 2025.<\/p>\n Liverpool have been in talks with Konate over a new deal for months, but there is no agreement in place yet.<\/p>\n Konate has been at Liverpool since 2021 and has won the Premier League, the FA Cup and the EFL Cp (twice) with the Reds.<\/p>\n READ NEXT\u00a0<\/strong>\ud83d\udc4b Every completed Chelsea transfer in summer 2025: Signings, exits, loans<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Liverpool will NOT sell Ibrahima Konate to Chelsea<\/strong><\/p>\n Defensa Central has noted in the report that Liverpool are \u2018refusing\u2019 to let Konate leave for Chelsea this summer.<\/p>\n The Premier League champions are not keen on strengthening Chelsea, who are their direct rivals.<\/p>\n The Blues won the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup this summer and will challenge for the Premier League title in the 2025\/26 campaign.<\/p>\n The Spanish news outlet has added that Konate himself is leaning towards a move to Madrid.<\/p>\n While Defensa Central\u2019s report about a potential offer from Chelsea for Konate has to be taken with a pinch of salt, this is not the first time that the Blues have looked at the Frenchman.<\/p>\n TBR journalist Graeme Bailey reported in March that Chelsea had enquired about Konate and made his representatives aware that they hold an interest in signing him.<\/p>\n Konate is one of the first names on the Liverpool teamsheet, and manager Arne Slot would not want to lose him now, especially to Chelsea.<\/p>\n There have also been positive reports in recent weeks regarding Liverpool\u2019s quest to convince Konate to sign a new deal and not leave for Madrid on a free transfer next summer.<\/p>\n While reporting on\u00a0X\u00a0on July 23 that \u2018Konate received a new contract proposal from\u00a0Liverpool\u2019, journalist\u00a0Sacha Tavolieri\u00a0noted: \u2018This offer would significantly increase his wages. Konate now considering options as he opened the door off the record to Real Madrid recently\u2019.<\/p>\n French journalist\u00a0Abdellah Boulma\u00a0wrote on X\u00a0at 11:11am on August 1: \u201cLiverpool and Ibrahima Konat\u00e9 are still in talks over a contract extension. No full agreement yet, but the French defender is happy at the club and keen to stay. #LFC\u201d<\/p>\n Journalist\u00a0David Lynch\u00a0has revealed that Konate\u2019s \u2018priority\u2019 is to sign a new contract with Liverpool, even though the defender is aware that Madrid are keen on him.<\/p>\n Lynch said on\u00a0Sports Mole\u2019s YouTube channel: \u201cReal Madrid are clearly interested aren\u2019t they \u2013 there is no question about that!<\/p>\n \u201cBut speaking to people close to Konate, I still get the feeling that his priority is to renew with Liverpool and there are talks there, but it is kind of stuck at the moment.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think it has reached the point of no return and the player has definitely decided he wants to go to Real Madrid, I don\u2019t get that feeling at all.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not to say that it won\u2019t end in that way because that possibility is 100 per cent on the table, but we are still in the moment where there is hope there will be a breakthrough.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe player is not desperate to get out of Liverpool or desperate to go to Real Madrid, it\u2019s not that kind of situation just yet, but they will have to put a contract on the table that is attractive to the player and, as of yet, that hasn\u2019t happened.\u201d<\/p>\n Latest Chelsea news: Xavi Simons swap, striker exit<\/strong><\/p>\n Chelsea have lined up a blockbuster swap deal involving Xavi Simons<\/a>, with the Blues ready to offload two of their players to get a deal done for the RB Leipzig star.<\/p>\n Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has raved about a player that Chelsea have signed<\/a> this summer, claiming that he was the best in his league.<\/p>\n