Ibrahima Konate has become available to sign for free this summer, however Chelsea are not expected to be in the hunt to bring him in.
The Frenchman has elected not to sign a new deal with Liverpool, seeing him become the latest big-name star to leave the club for free after Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson.
Xabi Alonso pushed to sign Konate when he was in charge of Real Madrid, and the potential deal now comes up at a time where the Blues are desperate to find some experience for their first team squad.
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Chelsea won’t sign Ibrahima Konate because of major European competition
He has remained a regular for one of the best teams in the league for a number of years now, and boasts a physical dominance which Chelsea are currently lacking.
There is major European interest in Konate’s services, and this has played a factor in why Chelsea are not currently pushing to sign him, according to Miguel Delaney.
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He said on his Inside Football newsletter that Chelsea believe Bayern Munich and PSG are the leading candidates in a hectic race to sign the centre-back.
He said: “There is some surprise elsewhere in the Premier League that Liverpool could not ultimately agree a deal with their French centre-half. He was not even asking for particularly huge wages. Chelsea were one club who would have been interested, but did not think it was ever on.
“They have since learned it is not on for a different reason, as Konate has significant interest from abroad. Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich currently lead a strong European pack, which has caused surprise in some quarters. Some rivals never rated Konate particularly highly.”
Chelsea are expected to part ways with multiple centre-backs this summer, with only Levi Colwill a certainty to remain.
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Xabi Alonso wants new defenders at Chelsea
It has already been reported that Alonso wants two new centre-backs to join the club in his first transfer window in charge of the club.
This would open up the opportunity for the incoming boss to utilise a three at the back formation which he found success with at Bayer Leverkusen.
It looks as if Konate won’t be one of those names though, and the club may have to turn their attention to someone like Jan Paul van Hecke for their Premier League experience.
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