Trent Alexander-Arnold will be thrilled at the news that his former Liverpool team-mate, Ibrahima Konate, looks set to join him in the Spanish capital this summer. That’s if the ex-Reds star’s previous words are anything to go by.
After months of speculation, Konate is set to sign for Real on a free transfer following confirmation that he will leave Liverpool at the end of his contract. The French centre-back moved to Anfield in the summer of 2021 and struck up a close friendship with Alexander-Arnold, who joined Real last summer.
Their potential reunion will be music to the England full-back’s ears. The former team-mates have openly heaped praise on one another over the years, with Alexander-Arnold waxing lyrical over Konate’s performance in Liverpool’s Champions League final clash with Real in 2022.
While the Reds lost the encounter 1-0, Konate was imperious on the night. “Wow. Outstanding,” Alexander-Arnold said to Liverpool’s official website a day later. “The performance he put in yesterday, I’m lost for words. Words can’t do it justice.”
On his burgeoning relationship with Konate at the time, he added: “We’ve created a bond & he’s an amazing lad. The potential he has is ridiculous. The sky is the limit.”
FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FB PAGE! Latest Reds news and more on our dedicated Facebook page
A year earlier, after Konate had just arrived at Liverpool from RB Leipzig in a £36m deal, Alexander-Arnold revealed how impressed he was with his new colleague.
“He’s a very athletic boy, which is probably something more common now with centre-backs,” he said. “Being amazing athletes, who are fast and strong and he ticks all those boxes. He’s still young. But he’s got huge potential.
“I think obviously learning and playing next to Virgil [Van Dijk], he’s one of those players you instantly pick up things from – just his positioning and the way he commands the defence.”
The feeling appears to be mutual. Before England’s quarter-final tie with France at the 2022 World Cup, Konate opened up about his strong relationship with Alexander-Arnold, suggesting he too will be keen to link up with his ex-team-mate.
View 2 ImagesIbrahima Konate and Trent Alexander-Arnold share a strong bond(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“It’s a rivalry that’s been around since the dawn of time,” Konate said in a press conference for France’s clash with the Three Lions. “Trent Alexander-Arnold sent me a message saying, ‘See you on Saturday, my brother’ because I’m very close to him.”
Konate had been in discussions with the Reds about a possible contract extension but the two parties could not reach an agreement. In April, he claimed he was “close” to signing a new deal and suggested he was eager to stay at Anfield.
However, he will now call time on his five-year stint at Anfield, after winning the Premier League, FA Cup and two League Cups. Real are his most likely destination.
It will be another hefty transfer blow for the Reds. The Anfield outfit lost Alexander-Arnold to Los Blancos last summer, with Madrid forking out a modest £10m to secure the defender just weeks before his deal ran out on Merseyside.
Article continues below
Join our LFC WhatsApp community and get all the latest LFC news, views, transfer gossip and more, as it happens We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Get Sky Glass Air from 15p per dayThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
from £4.50SkyGet the deal here
Sky has cut 20% off its entire range of Glass TVs until June 17, including the more budget-friendly Air model which now starts from £4.50 per month.