A startling report forecasts a turnaround for Konate, as Liverpool and Real Madrid receive unexpected news.
Ibrahima Konate is actively negotiating a new contract with Liverpool, with the club reportedly feeling ‘confident’ that a deal can be finalised, according to a new report, while TEAMtalk investigates the player’s two significant bargaining advantages, which may frustrate title contenders Real Madrid.
The 26-year-old defender is in the final year of his contract, which he signed after joining from RB Leipzig for £36 million (€40 million, $46 million) in the summer of 2021.
Konate, who was an important part of Liverpool’s title success last season under Arne Slot, has established himself as one of the most dependable and solid personalities in global football during his time at the club.
Discussions over a new deal to extend Konate’s stay at Anfield began last autumn, and there was hope that an agreement between the player and the club was forthcoming.
However, no agreement has been signed a year later, and there has been considerable talk in recent weeks that Konate will be the next Reds star to leave for Real Madrid as a free agent.
In fact, strong reports from Spain this week stated that the transfer to the Bernabeu was a ‘done deal,’ with an announcement about his future scheduled for early January.
Nonetheless, the French daily L’Equipe has firmly disputed these claims, revealing that Konate is ready to stay at Anfield, with recent conversations with the Merseyside club generating ‘confidence’ that a new agreement can be completed shortly.
They report that the 25-times capped France international is’very happy’ at Anfield, though they acknowledge that numerous ‘issues’ must be resolved before a definitive deal can be reached.
As stated in the report, Konate still has some issues to resolve before reaching a thorough deal on his continuing presence at Liverpool.
Konate, who currently earns around £70,000 per week, was reported earlier this month to be negotiating a deal worth closer to £200,000 per week in order to stay at Anfield and reflect his status with the club.
Examining his situation, the 26-year-old unquestionably has a compelling case.
He has played nine of Liverpool’s ten games this season, missing just the Carabao Cup triumph over Southampton.
Konate, who was Virgil van Dijk’s preferred defensive partner, appeared in 31 of last season’s 38 Premier League games, starting 30 of them, and logged about 2567 minutes on the pitch. This is the most he has scored in any of his last three seasons at Merseyside.
Only injuries could jeopardise his starting status for the Reds this season, since he has already played 510 of 540 Premier League minutes.
Everyone understands how important he is to Liverpool and Arne Slot.
However, being a regular is not his only advantage, as the Reds are well aware that he might leave for Real as a free agent next summer and potentially sign a pre-contract agreement with them beginning January 1.
This circumstance alone gives him a significant edge in negotiations with the Reds.
Fabrizio Romano stated last week that Liverpool is in a “difficult position” in their efforts to sign Konate to a new contract.
“A new contract at Liverpool was quite close in October/November 2024, then there were some changes in the conversation and now the discussion remains challenging,” replied Romano.
“Liverpool is still striving to extend Konate’s contract, and they made additional efforts in August, but the situation appears to be challenging. It appears complex.
“Thus, Konate is one of the players we should keep on Real Madrid’s radar because they prefer free transfers, Konate is a valuable player, and Real Madrid has an excellent relationship with his agency.
“If he chooses not to renew the contract, Konate will be free to negotiate with any club, making Real Madrid a viable option.”
“Our transfer expert Dean Jones also suggests that Konate is the most probable centre-back target for Real Madrid in 2026, despite connections to players like Mickey van den Ven.”
“Jones stated, ‘I have been advised that Konate is the player they think most likely, though they are certainly examining other options as well. It’s worth noting that they’re now linked with Micky van de Ven, as I’ve heard this could be something to keep an eye on throughout the season.”
“‘At this point, I don’t think there has been any direct communication or anything of that nature, but Madrid aims to attract attention, and if Van de Ven seeks to enhance his profile at Spurs, it’s plausible he would view Madrid as a potential destination.'”
“‘I believe he has been on their radar for quite some time, so we will need to see if they escalate their interest into a more proactive pursuit.'”
“Latest updates from Liverpool: Guehi competition heats up; Chiesa receives four offers to depart.”
“One candidate who could feasibly take Konate’s place in the Reds’ defence is Marc Guehi.”
“With the England defender regarded as a more skilled player in terms of advancing the ball from defence – an area where Konate has struggled early this season – pursuing Guehi for a move to Anfield certainly appears logical.”
“Recently, a report has surfaced indicating that Liverpool will encounter significant competition for his signature from an unexpected Premier League adversary, although we have managed to clarify why Liverpool remains the player’s preferred option.”
“In other news, Liverpool winger Federico Chiesa is said to have received offers from four clubs to leave Anfield – and a transfer journalist has disclosed what the Italian star is likely to do once the winter transfer window opens.”
Jeremie Frimpong, a recent signing who has not made an immediate impact, was deployed in an advanced right-sided position during Tuesday’s match against Galatasaray.
We may conclude that this attempt failed, and given that the Dutchman is also struggling to establish himself as a right-back, we have analysed and evaluated if Slot’s right-back dilemma is a significant problem that remains unresolved.
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