Man City 3-0 Liverpool: Match Review
Ibrahima Konate’s Liverpool contract expires at the end of the season and the defender has been linked with Real Madrid.
Liverpool await a decision from Ibrahima Konate over his future, reports suggest.
The centre-back is in the final year of his Anfield contract, having joined from Red Bull Leipzig for £35 million in the summer of 2021. During his time on Merseyside, Konate has made 148 appearances for the Reds, helping the club win the Premier League, FA Cup and two Carabao Cups.
Yet the France international’s future beyond the end of the 2025-26 season remains precarious. Alongside captain Virgil van Dijk, Konate has remained as first choice despite his form coming under scrutiny as the current champions trail leaders Arsenal by eight points.
Konate has been heavily linked with joining Real Madrid on a free transfer next summer. From 1 January, the defender is able to sign a pre-contract with the Spanish giants.
According to Sky Sports Switzerland reporter Sacha Tavoleri, Liverpool have made a ‘very generous’ final offer to extend Konate’s stay. It reportedly would make him one of the highest-paid players at the club. However, it’s said that Konate is still weighing up whether to hold out for a concrete deal from Madrid and that a decision ‘is expected in the coming weeks’.
In addition, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Konate is weighing up his future with Real not the only club who would be keen on signing him. Romano said on his YouTube channel: “There is a negotiation still ongoing between Liverpool and Ibrahima Konate.
“Konate, as I told you in the last few months, has to decide what he wants to do. He has several opportunities around Europe, Real Madrid for sure, and not only that, but Konate now has to decide.
“Because there is a negotiation ongoing with Liverpool. Liverpool made their proposal to Konate. And now it’s Konate who has to decide. ‘Okay, I want to stay and sign this new contract or no I want to leave and try a new chapter’.
“So Liverpool are waiting for an answer from Ibrahima Konate. There is a conversation, there is a negotiation. Liverpool made their move in this case. So now it depends on Ibrahima Konate, on what Ibrahima Konate wants to do. This can be financial, or this can be personal if he wants to try a new chapter or not. So there are several factors to consider, but Liverpool made their move now is on Ibrahima Konate to decide what can be the next step of his career.”
What has Ibrahima Konate said on his future?
During the international break, Konate discussed his contractual situation while on France duty. He told Telefoot: “It’s clear we think about it. But what’s complicated is that we can’t say everything because there’s a lot of things being said in the media.
“Sometimes I see things and I’m like, ‘oh la la’, and it gets me into trouble with the Liverpool fans even though they don’t know all the ins and outs. Anyway, I hope and I know that in any case the most important thing is that I’m happy. “We’ll see [if an announcement is made soon], we will see. In any case we hope so.”
‘So much potential’
But still only aged 26 is just entering the peak years of his career. Speaking on Konate last season, BBC and Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards said: "I watched him a lot at Leipzig - there's so much potential. There's all these things he's tremendous at - last ditch tackles he can do that, he can get back in, pace - no problem at all. To go to the next level now if he can just concentrate a little bit more and be a bit more assured on the ball."
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