Ibrahima Konate has been discussing his move to Real Madrid ahead of the upcoming La Liga season, with a mention of Liverpool in his interview.
Ibrahima Konate gestures during the during the Pre-Season Friendly match between FC Schalke 04 and Real Madrid
Ibrahima Konate has officially been presented as a Real Madrid player(Image: (Photo by Mario Hommes/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images))
Real Madrid has officially presented Ibrahima Konate as a new player for the club, as the former Liverpool star sat down for his first major interview since leaving Anfield.
The defender made the controversial decision to leave the Reds at the end of his contract, moving on as a free agent, despite progress being made in the months prior to landing an extended deal on Merseyside.
Instead, after heavy speculation over his future, Konate made the switch to Real Madrid, signing a four-year deal with the Spanish giants.
The Frenchman became the second player in as many years to make the unpopular move from Liverpool to the Bernabeu, following Trent Alexander-Arnold's switch the summer before.
The deal left many of the Anfield faithful frustrated, as yet another peak-age player left for little-to-nothing, leaving the Reds on the search for replacements.
Since then, Konate has featured at the World Cup before being handed his first taste of playing for Real Madrid in preseason friendly action.
Now that he has finally been presented by the club before the new season, the defender has spoken to the official Real Madrid media team to discuss his feelings on the move.
Ibrahima KONATE of France during the 2026 FIFA World Cup - 3rd place match between France and England
Ibrahima Konate endured a difficult half for France against England(Image: (Photo by Johnny Fidelin/Icon Sport via Getty Images))
He said: "It means a lot to me, because the first shirt I ever owned was a Real Madrid shirt, a gift from my older brother. From that moment on, I always dreamed of playing for this fantastic team, and today I'm so happy to be living that dream.
"I know the club has very high expectations for anyone who wears this shirt, and I'm here to fight for this team with everything I have, both on and off the pitch."
On top of that, there was a mention of the Champions League, as the star looked back at all of the trophies that were stacked in the cabinet behind him for the interview.
One of those trophies, the one won in 2022, had sad memories for Konate. He was part of the Liverpool team that lost in the final to Real Madrid, something he reflected on and made an interesting mention of in his interview.
"I feel great here, I only feel bad about one, the one in Paris 2022, because I was playing for Liverpool at that time and Real Madrid won that Champions League again [laughs]."
It's a mention that risks the wrath of Liverpool fans, considering the pain associated with that loss before he made the move to Real Madrid.
“I want to be part of Real Madrid’s history and I want to win titles," he continued. "Win the Champions League with this team, and be part of its history forever... I promise to give everything for this shirt.”
Liverpool fans will certainly be keeping a close eye on his progression at Real Madrid, following the controversial exit and move to the Bernabeu.