Real Madrid staff 'openly discussing' signing of Ibrahima Konate on free transfer from Liverpool in repeat of Trent Alexander-Arnold saga

According to the Daily Mail, Real Madrid believe Konate could follow a similar path to Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was strongly linked with Los Blancos for years before joining as a free agent. The same sources who broke news of Alexander-Arnold's move to the Santiago Bernabeu last year now claim senior Los Blancos officials have even 'openly discussed' securing the Frenchman. Liverpool, meanwhile, remain in contract talks, but no deal has yet been struck.

The situation has intensified after Konate appeared on French TV, joking about Kylian Mbappe 'calling every two hours' to tempt him to make the switch to Real Madrid. While Liverpool insist they have had no communication suggesting the defender wants to leave, uncertainty lingers. Any foreign club can formally approach Konate from January 1, further raising speculation.

Konate’s current contract expires in the summer of 2026, and Liverpool opened renewal talks last November. However, no progress has been made, and Madrid are said to be watching closely. The 15-time European champions are said to view the defender as a long-term partner for Eder Militao, with depth increasingly key to their squad planning. They also signed Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth this summer.

Liverpool will push to secure Konate’s future before the January window to avoid losing leverage. Real Madrid, however, are confident they can lure him with the promise of silverware and a lucrative contract. For now, the defender remains undecided, but the coming months could prove decisive for both his career and Liverpool’s defensive plans.