Real Madrid have looked at Liverpool’s defence and gone ‘yeah, we’ll have that’.
The reigning European champions have been linked with the soon-to-be-out-of-contract Trent Alexander-Arnold all season.
Now reports suggest that Real are also keen on pursuing a move for Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate as well.
Real Madrid ‘make enquiries’ about Ibrahima Konate
As relayed by Sport Witness, journalist Edu Aguirre of El Chiringuito (‘the Beach Bar’) claims that Real have put out feelings about Konate and Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen.
Ranked at no.6 in FourFourTwo’s list of the best centre-backs in the world right now, Konate is said to be Real’s preferred target after his reliable performances for Liverpool over the past four years.
A €60m (£50.2m) transfer fee has been touted for Konate’s services.
Aguirre said: “The truth is that he may be a signing who ends up arriving in 2026. He has a clause in his contract worth €60m.
“Therefore, if Liverpool want to negotiate it would have to be this year. But Liverpool are initially saying €60m or nothing.”
We presume by that Aguirre doesn’t mean ‘€60m or a free transfer’, because that would be an appallingly bad negotiating position.
In FourFourTwo’s view, Liverpool should resist any and all offers for Konate’s services – particularly with van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold’s futures in doubt.
The French international has proven to be a reliable and solid performer for the Reds, and at 25 years old still has all his prime years ahead of him.
Even if van Dijk reaches a new deal to stay at the club, he will turn 34 this summer and won’t be around forever.
In the current marketplace, finding long-term replacements for both of their centre-backs would be an enormous project to take on all at once. That’s saying nothing of their current first-choice full-backs, given Andy Robertson is 31 and has been criticised for his form this season.
Keeping Konate at the club would offer at least a bit of stability and a clear focal point to rebuild the rest of the defence around.
