Fabrizio Romano has brought an update on the situation of Ibrahima Konate, as Real Madrid try to prise the defender away from Liverpool next summer as a free agent.
Konate is out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the season, with Madrid keen on snapping up the France international centre-back on a free transfer. Los Blancos secured the services of Trent Alexander-Arnold from the defending Premier League champions at the end of last season, and the Spanish and European giants are keen on another of their best players.
Sources have told TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Dean Jones, that Konate has not made up his mind whether to stay at Liverpool or join Real Madrid.
It would make sense for Konate to see how the situation plays out, with the 26-year-old France international centre-back holding all the cards in negotiations.
There have also been suggestions in the French media that Liverpool are ‘confident’ that Konate will stay, but the Spanish press believes that Madrid already have the buy-in from the defender.
Trusted transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has now brought an update on Konate’s situation.
While revealing that there were ‘problems’ over talks between Konate and Liverpool this time last year, the Italian journalist has stressed that the Reds are still in negotiations and have not given up on the prospect of convincing him to put pen to paper on the dotted line, adding that there is no agreement in place between the French star and Madrid.
Romano said on the latest Here We Go podcast: “It’s another interesting situation because for Konate, Liverpool are still in conversation with his agents.
“It’s been a special case because Konate, one year ago, basically October 2024, was on the verge of signing a new contract with Liverpool.
“Then there have been some problems, some issues in the structure of this new deal, so the negotiation got delayed, and now the agreement is not done or closed, but they are still in conversation, between Konate and Liverpool, so they are still talking, they are still discussing.
“It’s not something agreed, and it means that several clubs can be interested in the situation of Konate, clubs in Europe, including Real Madrid.
“Real Madrid were following the case of William Saliba, but he decided to sign a new deal at Arsenal, so now for Real Madrid, there are other options, and, in the least, Konate is one of them, but it’s not something done with Real Madrid.
“It’s too early to say what’s going to happen with Madrid, and so Liverpool are still in conversation with the player to try and extend the contract.
“In case it doesn’t happen, let’s get ready, because it’s going to be another big battle.
“Real Madrid will be there, and not only, so I think Konate is going to be another big name to follow in the next week.”
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Liverpool media slammed for Ibrahima Konate treatment
Konate has not been at his best this season, with the Liverpool defender having injuries and also making mistakes against Bournemouth, Newcastle United and Galatasaray.
The defender, though, did play well against Arsenal and Everton, and former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand believes that criticisms levelled at Konate is harsh.
Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel: “There’s no way that Konate has a bad performance last season and he’s getting the headline treatment.
“It’s only because of the interest from Real Madrid, and there’s going to be disgruntled fans and people in the media that support Liverpool who are going to now start pointing the finger and blaming him.
“Or, whenever there’s a little mistake here, and if there’s blame to be put between two people, he’ll probably get it now because of that situation.”
Former Liverpool defender Conor Coady, who is now at Wrexham, noted: “I look from a centre-back’s point of view and Konate is getting a bit of stick at the start of the season, let’s be honest.
“But you’ve got to remember he has got to play a different way now. What I mean by that is that he’s having to defend in the channel now because Frimpong or Conor Bradley are out of position or Szoboszlai is out of midfield.
“They exploited that channel and Konate has got to go out and defend and I’m telling you now, from a centre-back’s point of view, you do not want to go out there and defend as a right-back.
“It’s hard, there’s a reason you’re not out there, you’re not quick enough.
“Trent would go into midfield but I always thought he was there. He got a lot of stick for his defending but now there’s no full-back in position and whenever the ball is in transition, the space is vacated so Konate is having to defend in the channel with a massive space.
“I’m telling you now, no centre-back wants to defend there and there’s a reason you play centre-back and not right-back.”
Latest Liverpool news: Marc Guehi blow, Alexis Mac Allister update
Liverpool have long identified Marc Guehi as a potential replacement for Konate and were close to signing the Crystal Palace defender in the summer transfer window.
Sources have told TEAMtalk that Liverpool are keen on the England international centre-back, but Fabrizio Romano has revealed that there are other major clubs interested in Guehi, with no guarantees that he will still want to move to Anfield.
Another Liverpool star, Alexis Mac Allister, is on Real Madrid’s radar, but it has now emerged that Los Blancos’ preference is a Chelsea superstar.
And finally, Liverpool have been linked with a Sporting CP defender that Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is a big fan of.
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