Ibrahima Konate has jokingly claimed that Kylian Mbappe calls him “every two hours” about a move to Real Madrid, and Liverpool will reportedly “not beg” the Frenchman to stay.
Konate is a generally outgoing character who likes a laugh, so his making a joke of the situation is no surprise.
However, given the ongoing rumours about a potential move when his contract expires next summer, his claim has raised eyebrows.
It came in the context of a quickfire answer game on TF1, as the presenter asked: “The Spanish press is sending you to Real Madrid next season. Is Kylian Mbappe putting a bit of pressure on you to come?”
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 31, 2025: Liverpool's Ibrahima Konaté applauds the supporters after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Arsenal FC at Anfield. Liverpool won 1-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Konate responded by joking: “He calls me every two hours!”
The Frenchman then quickly followed that up with: “No, no, no.”
When asked, Liverpool’s centre-back also twice denied that he had already been learning Spanish.
Adding further fuel to the fire was the fact that this footage came out at a similar time to the *Times*‘ Paul Joyce writing that Liverpool “will not beg anyone to remain at Anfield.”
LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 10, 2025: Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté during the FA Community Shield match between Crystal Palace FC and Liverpool FC at Wembley Stadium. Palace won 3-1 on penalties after a 2-2 draw. (Photo by Harry Murphy/Propaganda)
The journalist said: “Konate’s future remains uncertain. The France defender has entered the final year of his own deal and long-standing attempts to persuade him to sign a new contract remain at an impasse.
“Real Madrid have been identified as potential suitors next summer and, while Liverpool do not want to lose the player, they will not beg anyone to remain at Anfield.”
Liverpool have been negotiating a new contract for some time, but as Joyce said, talks have stalled.
The *Telegraph*‘s Chris Bascombe added: “The dialogue has been ongoing, and a new contract has been ready to sign for a while. Liverpool do not want to wait another 10 months for a resolution, but are pragmatic about the outcome.”
While Bascombe also wrote that Guehi would be a replacement for Gomez, should he sign on a free next summer, it has to be acknowledged that Liverpool have been planning ahead with their acquisitions of Giovanni Leoni and Guehi, hopefully.
Ideally, this forethought would be to ensure Konate has competition alongside Virgil van Dijk, eventually taking over from the captain.
However, it could now be that that the French defender, who turned 26 years old in May, will finish his Liverpool career before Van Dijk.