'Every two hours' - Ibrahima Konate makes Real Madrid transfer joke as Liverpool Marc Guehi stance emerges

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Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe and Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate during a training session with the France national team(Image: FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)

Ibrahima Konate has joked he receives regular phone calls from Kylian Mbappe urging him to move to Real Madrid as the intrigue over his Liverpool career continues.

Konate is in the last 12 months of his current deal at Anfield with talks over a new contract having yet to reach a resolution.

The impasse in negotiations has increased the intensity of reports in Spain regularly linking Real Madrid with an interest in signing Konate on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Konate is currently with Real Madrid forward Mbappe as part of the France squad preparing for their World Cup qualifier against Iceland on Tuesday.

READ MORE:What the ECHO was told about summer transfers as Liverpool become marked menREAD MORE:Liverpool's best starting line-up after Alexander Isak transfer as clear dilemma emerges

And when asked in a quickfire answer game on French television channel TF1 over whether Mbappe was putting pressure on him to switch to the Bernabeu, Konate joked: “He calls me every two hours!

No, no, no."

While Liverpool allowed Jarell Quansah to join Bayer Leverkusen for £35million in the summer, they bolstered their centre-back options with the signing of 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni from Parma for £26m.

They also agreed a £35m deal for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi only for the transfer to collapse with Palace unable to recruit a replacement before last Monday's transfer deadline.

Liverpool are at present unlikely to move for Guehi in the January transfer window given the player will be available on a free next summer.

Mbappe, meanwhile, has been talking about the battle to win this season's Premier League.

The Reds were emphatic winners last time out, finishing 10 points clear of Arsenal.

Speaking to BILD, Mbappe said: "Of course, Liverpool has to be mentioned first and foremost, as they're determined to win one title after another," the Frenchman explained.

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"But I also have high hopes for Arsenal, because the core of the team has known each other for a long time, and that's a crucial factor in football.

And Manchester City is always at the forefront anyway, with Pep Guardiola and Erling Haaland."

After being pushed for an answer, Mbappe replied: "That's tough.

Maybe Arsenal, maybe it will be their year.

"It would certainly be easier to say City or Liverpool."