As news broke last night that Liverpool had failed to agree an extension with Ibrahima Konate, it was only a matter of time before he was linked with a move to Chelsea. The Blues need to strengthen this summer after another poor campaign and failure to even qualify for Europe. It has been claimed that they plan to sign some ‘ready-made’ players for incoming manager Xabi Alonso. The French centre-back would fit that description.
Konate is a Premier League winner with Liverpool. And he is also set to be available as a free agent this summer, as it looks like an agreement is not going to be reached over an extension.
According to Indykaila News, Chelsea have made enquiries for Konate as a free signing. The Frenchman has also drawn the interest from four other European teams.
Would Konate be a good signing for Chelsea?
This is expected to divide the opinion of the fans. Konate is someone who has made his fair share of mistakes at the back for Liverpool. But then again, he has his qualities as well. You do not remain a starter for Liverpool and an integral part of the French national team if you do not.
Konate would raise the bar at the back for Chelsea. He is better than pretty much every centre-back the Blues have got right now other than potentially Levi Colwill.
Also, he is a right-footed centre-back. So, that would make him a natural fit beside Colwill in the heart of defence, if Alonso goes for a traditional four-man backline. If the Spaniard opts for three at the back, he should feel at home in the RCB spot.
Of course, there are a lot of factors that any move would depend on. What kind of wages would Konate want, having failed to agree a deal with Liverpool? And what other clubs would Chelsea be competing with?
There is a world out there where Konate could prove to be an excellent signing for Chelsea. But it should all come down to what Alonso wants this summer. If the manager feels he would be a good addition, the club should push to sign him. If he does not, a move should not happen, whether the Frenchman is a free agent or not.
Real Madrid feels like a more realistic destination for Konate
Konate is another one of those players who has been linked with a move to Real Madrid. And it is interesting how often those players do end up becoming free agents. It happened with Kylian Mbappe, Trent Alexander-Arnold, David Alaba, Antonio Rudiger and several others as well.
Real Madrid have a fantastic record when it comes to convincing players to join as free agents. Alaba is leaving the club as well, so there is an open spot in their squad.
So, if I had to make a prediction, I see Konate ending up at Real Madrid. Now, let’s see how this entire situation plays out over the coming weeks and months.
Sourav Mahanty
Sourav Mahanty has covered teams like Chelsea, Celtic, Real Madrid, Manchester United, PSG and more over a career that has now lasted a decade. His work has been featured on Sports Illustrated, Athlon Sports, SB Nation, FanSided, The Sportster and aggregated through Bleacher Report and NewsNow. Outside of football, he is also interested in basketball, cricket and professional wrestling.
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