Ibrahima Konate has been forced to withdraw from the France squad with a knee injury as the former Liverpool defender suffers a setback following his summer move to Real Madrid
Ibrahima Konate of Real Madrid looks on prior to the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match against Atletico Madrid
Former Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has withdrawn from the France squad due to an injury setback(Image: Photo by Alvaro Medranda/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Former Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has suffered an injury setback and withdrawn from the France squad for the current international break.
The 27-year-old was a key figure for the Reds following his move from RB Leipzig back in 2021 and went on to win a Premier League title four years later. However, his time at Anfield came to an end in the summer when he opted against signing a new deal with the Reds.
Konate's future was a huge talking point last season, not least because former teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold had operated under similar circumstances a year earlier with his own contract. Interest from Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain was ever-present and ultimately he decided his future was elsewhere.
He followed in Alexander-Arnold's footsteps and joined Real Madrid as a free agent. His start, however, has not been straightforward, with a mixed bag of results so far.
Real Madrid did secure a crucial, albeit narrow, win over Inter in its opening Champions League fixture. However, it has suffered two defeats in La Liga so far, including in its latest fixture against Atletico Madrid before the international break.
Konate had been called up to the first France camp under new manager Zinedine Zidane. The Real Madrid legend replaced Didier Deschamps following France's World Cup campaign, in which it finished fourth.
However, it has now emerged that Konate has withdrawn from international duty due to a knee injury. He will return to his club to undergo rehabilitation before its La Liga campaign resumes in October with the visit of Villarreal.
The federation has confirmed Manchester United center back Leny Yoro will replace Konate in the squad. It's a surprise inclusion for the 20-year-old, given the recent criticism and the fact this is his first senior call-up to the national team.
He will join Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet, who has also earned his debut call-up following a promising start to life at Anfield. The Reds fended off competition from the likes of Chelsea to sign the 21-year-old from Rennes, with the deal announced in January before it was officially completed in the summer.
Despite missing a lot of preseason with injury concerns of his own, Jacquet has arguably been one of Liverpool's most impressive players so far this season. He has firmly established himself as a starter alongside Virgil van Dijk and was awarded Player of the Match in the recent win over Bournemouth.
France will face Belgium twice, as well as Turkey and Italy, in its upcoming Nations League fixtures. It's a long international break, with the Reds set to resume Premier League action in October with the visit of Manchester City.