Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has responded to Atletico Madrid’s offer for him, according to a Real Madrid-centric news outlet, while Arne Slot is facing a hurdle in getting a deal done for a potential replacement.
Konate was one of Liverpool’s best players last season, as Slot won the Premier League title in his first campaign in charge of the Reds. The France international established himself at the heart of the Liverpool defence alongside Virgil van Dijk and made 30 starts in the Premier League, scoring one goal and registering two assists in the process.
The 26-year-old is out of contract at Liverpool at the end of next season, and the Premier League champions are keen on tying him down to a new contract.
However, Konate wants to join Real Madrid, with a report in France claiming that the defender has already rejected offers of a new deal from Liverpool.
The Spanish media reported this week that Liverpool are willing to sell Konate this summer instead of running the risk of losing him on a free transfer in 2026.
Defensa Central has now revealed that it is not just Real Madrid that are interested in Konate.
The Spanish news outlet has claimed that Atletico Madrid are also keen on a summer deal for the Liverpool defender.
Atletico have ‘tried to sign Konate in recent weeks, offering Liverpool €40million (£34.5m, $47m) for the transfer’.
However, Konate ‘has made it clear to Atletico that he’s not interested’, leaving the Madrid outfit to pursue Tottenham Hotspur and Argentina international centre-back Cristian Romero instead.
‘I will only go to Real Madrid’, Konate is reported to have told Atletico if he was to leave Liverpool.
Defensa Central has noted that Liverpool are ‘quite upset’ about Konate’s situation, worried that he will follow in the footsteps of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Alexander-Arnold left Liverpool for Madrid earlier this summer, with Los Blancos paying the Reds £8.5m to get the right-back out of his contract early to play at the ongoing 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
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Liverpool face Marc Guehi hurdle
With Konate having decided that he will not sign a new contract and Jarell Quansah leaving for Bayer Leverkusen this summer, Liverpool are actively looking for a new defender.
Liverpool have been in talks with Crystal Palace over Marc Guehi, who is valued at £45million.
Newcastle United are also keen on Guehi and are ‘hopeful of winning the race’ for the England international centre-back.
The Magpies will play in the Champions League next season and are aiming to finish in the Premier League top four again in the 2025/26 campaign.
With Newcastle a force to be reckoned with and confident of signing Guehi, Liverpool have to work hard to avoid the situation where they lose Konate and fail to bring in the Palace star.
Latest Liverpool news: Barcelona raid, Darwin Nunez’s dream club
A Spanish report has claimed that Liverpool are ready to make a splash and raid Barcelona for two players in a mega double deal.
Trusted journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed the club that Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez is keen on joining in the summer transfer window, as the Premier League champions take a firm stance on his price-tag.
Romano has also claimed that Liverpool are already discussing signing a potential replacement for Nunez, naming the striker that the Reds are keen on.
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