Ibrahima Konate is in talks to join Real Madrid following confirmation that he will leave Liverpool at the end of his contract this summer.
The defender had been involved in season-long talks with the Reds over a possible extension, but the two parties could not come to an arrangement and Konate will now call time on his five years at Anfield, paving the way for a free move elsewhere.
Real, off the back of another trophyless season, are Konate’s first-choice destination and a move is now set to happen provided Florentino Pérez is re-elected as club president, reports the Telegraph.
Back in April the French defender claimed he was “close to an agreement” and suggested he was eager to stay at Anfield. However, it emerged last week that he would be leaving after an agreement was unable to be reached.
Konate endured a mixed 2025-26 campaign with some pundits suggesting that speculation over his contract was impacting his performances. Arne Slot publicly called out the defender, but he later improved his performances and remained a regular starter alongside Virgil van Dijk.
Konate’s Anfield exit will be offset by the arrival of Jeremy Jacquet, the highly-rated young defender from Rennes. A deal was struck in January with Liverpool paying up to £60m to secure the player. Last summer they also signed Giovanni Leoni but he suffered a season-ending injury on his debut.
It remains to be seen whether Liverpool will actively look to replace Konate, given their current resources and imminent arrivals. That decision may rest with whoever replaces Slot, who was axed last week. Andoni Iraola is currently the frontrunner to replace the Dutchman.
View 2 ImagesTrent Alexander-Arnold swapped Liverpool for Real Madrid last summer(Image: Angel Perez Meca/Europa Press via Getty Images)
The Spanish giants have a track record of landing big names for free. Several years ago they landed Kylian Mbappe, a long-term target, for nothing when his PSG contract came to an end. Last summer Trent Alexander-Arnold moved from Liverpool to Madrid, albeit they paid a £10million fee to get him ahead of time.
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Real are set for a summer of change after Jose Mourinho agreed to return as manager for a second stint. Several major names have been the subject of discussion with Vinicius Jnr, Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni all linked with moves away from the Bernabeu.
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