Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has responded to the club’s eye-watering offer for a new deal, according to a report in Spain, with TEAMtalk analysing why it may be game over for manager Arne Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes in their quest to stop the star from joining Real Madrid next summer.
Konate is out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the season, with Real Madrid keen on snapping him up on a free transfer next summer. Madrid manager Xabi Alonso wants to sign more centre-backs despite bringing in Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth in the summer of 2025, with both David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger’s contracts expiring at the end of the 2025/26 campaign.
Sources have told TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Dean Jones, that Madrid believe that, among the centre-backs that they have on their radar, Konate is the ‘most likely’ to move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
TEAMtalk understands that Tottenham Hotspur ace Micky van de Ven and Arsenal star William Saliba are also of interest to Real Madrid.
There has been speculation in the Spanish media that Konate already has a ‘preliminary agreement’ with Real Madrid over a 2026 summer move and a five-year contract.
Liverpool have had offers for a new deal already turned down by Konate, with Defensa Central now revealing how much the defending Premier League champions are willing to pay.
The Real Madrid-centric news outlet has claimed that Konate has ‘recently rejected’ Liverpool’s offer of a five-year contract worth €11million (£9.6m, $13m) per year, which would come to £185,000 per week.
Konate’s current wages are Liverpool are £70,000 per week, with the defender having joined the Reds back in 2021.
The 26-year-old centre-back has made 139 appearances for Liverpool so far in his career, scoring five goals and giving four assists in the process.
Konate has won the Premier League, the FA Cup and the EFL Cup (twice) with Liverpool.
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Latest Ibrahima Konate rejection is game over for Liverpool
If this particular report about Konate turning down Liverpool’s offer of £185,000 per week is true, then it is well and truly game over for the defending Premier League champions in terms of stopping the defender from joining Madrid next summer.
Liverpool-centric news outlet DaveOCKOP.com reported on August 16 that Konate told Liverpool that he wants £200,000 per week to sign a new deal.
It seems that Liverpool are still short of £15,000 from meeting those demands.
It could be a negotiating tactic from Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes, but it is unlikely to make Konate think that the Reds are going all out to keep him.
For a club as big and rich as Liverpool, paying £200,000 per week to a defender in his prime should not be a problem, especially as they are only £15,000-a-week short.
This money-pinching strategy from the Reds could ultimately cost them a player who has become a very important component of Slot’s side. Liverpool’s loss would be Real Madrid’s gain.
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Meanwhile, sources have told TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Dean Jones, that Real Madrid are serious about raiding Liverpool for their star midfielder.
And finally, Madrid are very happy with a defender that Manchester United did not think was good enough for them, with the Old Trafford faithful now regretting the deal that then-manager Erik ten Hag sanctioned.
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