Report: Euro giants lining up January move for €50m-rated Liverpool player
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Real Madrid is actively pursuing Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate, who is currently 26 years old and approaching the final year of his contract with the Reds. The Spanish club has shown strong interest in acquiring Konate either in the summer 2025 transfer window for a fee or for free when his contract expires in 2026.
Initially, Real Madrid hoped to sign Konate in the summer of 2025, offering around £25 million; however, Liverpool values the defender at about £40 million and is reluctant to sell him at a lower price. Negotiations for a contract renewal with Liverpool have reportedly stagnated, with Konate turning down the club's first offer, which bolsters Real Madrid's hopes of signing him either this year or as a free agent. Real Madrid officials believe that the prestige of joining the Bernabeu is a strong incentive for Konate, despite competition from Paris Saint-Germain, which may appeal more to the player given it is his native country and reigning European champions.[1][4][5]
Real Madrid’s interest is also driven by the need to strengthen their defence, as the club’s current defenders Antonio Rudiger and Eder Militao have shown vulnerabilities, and long-term planning is needed as players like Rudiger age. Konate is seen as a key target to bolster Madrid’s defensive line after the club recently acquired the Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold under similar contract circumstances.[2][3]
Konate is reportedly "crazy" about joining Real Madrid, and the club’s president, Florentino Perez, along with manager Xabi Alonso, are optimistic about securing his signature. The plan may be to finalize the move during the January 2026 transfer window, when Konate will be able to negotiate with foreign clubs freely. Liverpool, meanwhile, face a difficult challenge in retaining one of their best defenders, especially after recently losing Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer to the same club.[4]
Other clubs such as Barcelona and Bayern Munich have reportedly shown interest, intensifying the competition. Liverpool’s current asking price for a summer 2025 transfer stands at about £40 million to avoid losing him without compensation next year.[5]
PP