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Ibrahima Konate has entered the final year of his contract with Real Madrid circling, and the Anfield hierarchy is growing increasingly anxious – or so Marca claim.

The stakes could not be higher.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s high-profile exit to the Bernabéu on a cut-price deal left Liverpool fans reeling at the very least.

Now, Liverpool are determined not to repeat history and risk losing another star without adequate compensation.

Marca reports that Real Madrid have earmarked Konate as a prime target in their ongoing strategy of pursuing players in the final year of their contracts – much like they did with Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rüdiger, and David Alaba.

Madrid’s scouting and sporting management have been “working on Konate for months,” preparing to launch negotiations in January 2026 when pre-contract discussions become permissible.

Jose Felix Diaz of Marca even goes as far as to claim that the Liverpool man has rejected two offers from the club so far.

He adds that Liverpool may be willing to sell this summer to avoid a situation like Trent Alexander-Arnold:

“Konate has rejected up to two offers from Liverpool to renew his contract.”

“Everything indicates that the Frenchman is for the job and that on this occasion, unlike what happened with Alexander Arnold, the English club is willing to sell or rather, not allow the history of a player leaving without receiving anything in return, or very little as was the case with the full-back and everything so that he could participate in the World Cup.”

The defender currently earns around £80,000 per week.

It has been reported that he is seeking closer to £200,000 per week in basic wages while Liverpool remains reluctant to overcommit on fixed terms.

The stalemate has alerted Europe’s elite.

Ironically, speaking on the final day of the season last term, Konate hit out at media reports and stated that fans should not believe everything they read:

“You know, I just want to say one thing: everything you saw on social media is completely fake,” Konate told reporters.

“I didn’t even ask for something from the club.

They made me an offer and I replied to them with something, that is it.”

“The rest (speculation) that I want to wait until the end… I want this, all of it is completely fake.”

He then referenced reports from November that his deal was almost agreed:

“And even the big journalists said in November that I am very close to signing the deal.

I was like: ‘Ah, they have more information than me?!”

“It was not true at that moment, and that is why I was a little bit mad because it was not true at that moment.”

“I knew at one moment people would think I didn’t want to sign the contract, but I was never close to signing it?

We will see what will happen.”

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