“Still highly thought of” – Journalist provides update on crucial talks regarding Liverpool star
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Liverpool are set to offer Ibrahima Konaté a new contract in the coming days amid significant interest from top European clubs such as Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. The 26-year-old defender's current contract with Liverpool expires at the end of the 2025/26 season, creating uncertainty over his future at Anfield.
The Reds are eager to secure Konaté’s signature to prevent losing him on a free transfer in 2026, aiming to avoid a repeat of the Trent Alexander-Arnold contract situation. However, contract talks have been complicated by a substantial valuation gap between Liverpool and interested clubs. Liverpool reportedly value Konaté at around €50 million (£43 million, $58.2 million), while Real Madrid are only willing to offer between €20-25 million (£21.5 million, $29.1 million), leading to stalled negotiations this summer.
Despite Liverpool’s efforts to keep him, Konaté is open to a move, and interest from Madrid remains strong. Liverpool, who currently have a limited first-team center-back pool consisting of Virgil van Dijk, Konaté, and Joe Gomez following Jarell Quansah's exit, are working on strengthening their defense by finalizing deals for young players Giovanni Leoni and Marc Guéhi. These potential signings could facilitate Konaté’s departure should he reject the contract offer.
The club might prefer accepting a transfer fee below their asking price this summer rather than losing him for free next year. Real Madrid, having already added defenders Alexander-Arnold, Álvaro Carreras, and Dean Huijsen, continue to seek more defensive reinforcements partly due to injury concerns with David Alaba and Éder Militão.
As contract talks drag on and the summer transfer window closes without an agreement, Konaté's long-term future at Liverpool remains uncertain, with a pivotal decision expected ahead of the 2026 contract expiration. The situation holds significant implications for both Liverpool's defensive setup and Europe's transfer dynamics.
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