Liverpool could sanction the departure of Ibrahima Konate in the ongoing transfer window if they fail to secure his long-term future. According to a report from Football Insider, the Reds might accept offers of between £40-50 million for the French defender, who has just turned down a contract renewal offer.
Konate joined the Merseyside club in the summer of 2021 after making a name for himself at RB Leipzig. The Frenchman has only gone from strength to strength over the last four years, and he has established himself as one of their mainstays.
The 26-year-old has formed a reliable partnership with Virgil van Dijk at the back, and he started 30 of their league fixtures as they clinched the title without much trouble. While Arne Slot is a massive admirer of Konate and would love to have him around next season as well, his contract situation has complicated things.
With only a year left on Konate’s deal at the Merseyside club, multiple top clubs are keen on signing the French international. PSG and Real Madrid are two European giants who want him in their squad. The Ligue 1 giants are looking to add more quality and depth to their backline.
PSG are pushing to have the best French players in their team, and Konate is certainly an ideal fit for their project. Los Blancos are also keeping a close eye on his situation. While Real Madrid are unlikely to push for another central defender this summer, they certainly won’t want to miss out on the opportunity to sign the 26-year-old for free next summer, just like they have done with Trent Alexander-Arnold this year.
Considering PSG and Real Madrid’s interest in the French international, people at Anfield fear that Konate could end up leaving for free next summer. As a result, they have been pushing to secure his long-term future. They recently tabled an initial renewal offer, but it has been turned down by the player’s camp.
If Liverpool fail to agree on a new deal with him before September’s transfer deadline, they could look to cash in on him. The Merseyside club might reluctantly accept offers between £40-£50 million for the former TB Leipzig star.
Liverpool want to avoid a situation where he leaves the club for nothing. If they do make him available this summer, it will be interesting to see if both PSG and Real Madrid come forward with an offer or not.
