[Liverpool](https://walkon.com/) finally received a colossal center back performance from Ibrahima Konate, who stood tall on a Champions League night to shut Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid down in 1-0 fashion.
Konate, though, could still leave Liverpool this winter on a free transfer for the summer 2026 window to, of all teams, Real Madrid, though Los Blancos are also going after one of the Reds dream Konate replacements in Marc Guehi.
The England international was so close to joining Liverpool this past summer already as a potential center back partner with Konate for the 2025/26 season, but Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner blocked the deal at the last second, just one millistep before it was going to be official.
Liverpool have to compete with Real Madrid and others for Guehi now, but according to a report from Lewis Steele of the Daily Mail, the Royal Whites already think Guehi is going to Real Madrid.
Per the Daily Mail, sources within the walls of the Valdebebas in Madrid already think that Guehi has gone so far as to give his solemn word to Liverpool that he will be joining them.
Hence why Madrid-based sources are already saying that the club have given up on Guehi and will instead pursue Dayot Upamecano as their No. 1 transfer target with mixed feelings on Konate.
Joe Soriano is the editor of _The Trivela Effect_ and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like _The Real Champs_ (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage _NFL Spin Zone_ and _Daily DDT,_ covering the NFL and pro wrestling.