Ibrahima Konate cracks Real Madrid transfer joke involving Kylian Mbappe
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Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe and Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate during a training session with the France national team (Image: Getty Images)
Ibrahima Konate has revealed in jest that he receives constant telephone calls from Kylian Mbappe encouraging him to join Real Madrid amid ongoing speculation surrounding his Liverpool future.
Konate finds himself in the final year of his existing contract at Anfield, with discussions regarding fresh terms yet to reach a conclusion.
The stalemate in negotiations has heightened the frequency of reports from Spain consistently connecting Real Madrid with a potential move for Konate as a free agent when the season concludes.
Konate is presently alongside Real Madrid striker Mbappe within the France squad as they prepare for their World Cup qualifier against Iceland on Tuesday.
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When questioned during a rapid-fire Q&A session on French television broadcaster TF1 about whether Mbappe was pressuring him to make the switch to the Bernabeu, Konate quipped: "He calls me every two hours!
No, no, no."
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Whilst Liverpool permitted Jarell Quansah to depart for Bayer Leverkusen in a £35million deal during the summer, they strengthened their centre-half ranks by securing 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni from Parma for £26m.
They also reached a £35m agreement for Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi, though the transfer fell through when Palace failed to secure a replacement before last Monday's deadline.
Liverpool are currently unlikely to pursue Marc Guehi during the January window, given the defender will become available without a fee next summer.
Mbappe has been discussing the fierce competition for this season's Premier League title, with Liverpool having dominated last season, finishing a clear 10 points ahead of Arsenal.
In an interview with BILD, Mbappe stated: "Of course, Liverpool has to be mentioned first and foremost, as they're determined to win one title after another.
"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.
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