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(Credit: Hassan Karim, Breaking Media/Imago)

Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

Sun 17 August 2025 17:33, UK

Ibrahima Konate could leave Liverpool as soon as January if Marc Guehi completes a move to Anfield this summer, sources have told Football Insider.

Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed what his sources have said about Konate’s uncertain long-term future at Liverpool.

Konate‘s fifth season at Anfield got off to a torrid start in their opening-day win over Bournemouth, and Matt Le Tissier told Football Insider that this will accelerate Liverpool’s pursuit of Guehi this summer.

The Reds have already signed 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni from Parma and are in talks with Crystal Palace for Guehi, both of whom are younger than the current first-choice pairing of Konate and Virgil van Dijk.

Real Madrid are long-term admirers of Ibrahima Konate (Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media)

Liverpool and Konate’s contract talks have been unsuccessful so far this summer, and sources have told Football Insider that Arne Slot‘s side could take action in January to avoid losing the Frenchman for free.

Real Madrid‘s interest in Konate is long-standing and Football Insider sources have said that Liverpool may look to offload him if a new deal isn’t agreed by January, with the 26-year-old’s situation similar to that of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Football Insider revealed last month that Real Madrid are ready to launch a cut-price bid for Konate in the region of £25million, but Liverpool are only likely to accept this if Guehi does arrive this summer.

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Speaking on the new Inside Track podcast, O’Rourke said that while Slot will use Leoni and potentially Guehi in tandem with Van Dijk and Konate this season, the latter’s long-term prospects don’t look good.

“I don’t think it’ll have any immediate impact on Konate’s future”, he told Football Insider.

“Liverpool might be planning ahead in case they do lose Konate, and Guehi is potentially seen as a long-term heir to Virgil van Dijk, who’s not getting any younger.

Liverpool are locked in talks with Crystal Palace for their skipper Marc Guehi (Credit: Imago)

“Marc Guehi, at only 25, could be Liverpool’s centre-back for the next 10 years all being well, and Leoni obviously is a young player – huge potential at only 18.

“For Konate, talks will continue during the season to see if a deal can be agreed – if he still hasn’t signed a new deal by January, Liverpool could look to try and offload him even though he is an untouchable in the starting XI.

“With some of those foreign suitors – the likes of Real Madrid are strongly in for Konate – they could agree a pre-contract.

“It could be a similar situation to what Liverpool experienced with Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was into the final year of his contract before he eventually agreed a deal with Real Madrid.”

Liverpool are still some way off completing the signing of arguably England’s best centre-back this summer, with Football Insider revealing that Guehi’s move to Anfield could be delayed by 12 months.

Leoni enjoyed a breakout season in Serie A with Parma (Credit: Imago)

Crystal Palace are holding firm on the 25-year-old’s £40million valuation despite his contract heading into its final year at Selhurst Park, but the Reds are happy to bide their time and wait until it expires.

With Konate potentially on the move in January, this summer or next and Van Dijk now 34, the prospect of Guehi and Leoni lining up at the back for Liverpool is something the Anfield faithful will be looking forward to.

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