Liverpool are looking to bring in another centre-back but their priority remains to keep Ibrahima Konate.

The Reds may have spent close to £300m this summer, but as seen during their opening game of the new season against Bournemouth, more additions are still desperately needed.

The defence in particular is where the problems lie, with Ibrahima Konate especially having a rather poor game in the heart of defence.

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There could be many reasons for this but one fans will struggle to overlook is the uncertainty surrounding his future and the links to Real Madrid.

Konate still looks set to leave next summer on a free transfer as a breakthrough has still not yet been reached, with Madrid’s latest decision indicating that they are already preparing for his arrival.

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When Liverpool lost Trent Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer this summer, fans would have hoped that something like this would never happen again.

However, history appears to be repeating itself and it might happen less than a year later, with Konate edging closer to a move to the Spanish capital.

And, according to Diario AS, Real Madrid will not be renewing the contracts of Antonio Rudiger or David Alaba, with both of their contracts expiring next summer.

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This would very much suggest that they are making room for the impending arrival of Konate, with it very unlikely they would let two players of their quality go for nothing without a replacement in mind.

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Alaba and Rudiger are also 33 and 32 respectively, meaning bringing in a 26-year-old also makes a whole lot of sense for the future of their team.

There is still hope that Liverpool can keep hold of the Frenchman and contract negotiations will continue, although they face an uphill battle in trying to keep him.

Whether Konate leaves or not, the Reds still need another centre-back this summer and Marc Guehi is the perfect option.

He is two years Konate’s junior and already has a wealth of experience under his belt, including playing a starring role in England’s 2024 European Championship campaign.

As well as this, signing him now not only beats off the competition they would face for him when he is a free agent next summer, but he will also have a year to settle in so he is fully ready to become a key figure in the backline.

Konate could also be sold this summer for a little bit of money if Guehi arrives, suggesting it would be a win-win to sign him as soon as possible.


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