Report: Ibrahima Konate eyes exit as Liverpool brace for Real Madrid raid

The 26-year-old French defender, frustrated by stalled contract talks, is reportedly ready to run down his deal and depart as a free agent in 2026, according to French outlet Foot Mercato.

Konate has expressed disappointment with Liverpool's initial contract offer, which leaned heavily on performance-based bonuses rather than a higher base wage, a structure his representatives have pushed back against. "Konate is understood to be disappointed by the structure of Liverpool's offer," Foot Mercato reported, highlighting that the Reds' focus on securing new deals for Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk last season delayed negotiations with the defender.

The situation echoes the recent departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who joined Real Madrid on a free transfer, and Liverpool are keen to avoid a repeat. "The Reds were right to be afraid," Foot Mercato noted, suggesting Konate "wants a change of scenery next summer."

Real Madrid, alongside Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, have been alerted to his availability, with the Spanish giants as Konate's top choice.

Liverpool's transfer window has been action-packed, with Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz arriving from Bayer Leverkusen for 29 million pounds and 116 million pounds, respectively, while Milos Kerkez joined from Bournemouth for 40 million pounds as the new left-back. Armin Pecsi also signed as a backup goalkeeper for 1.5 million pounds.

However, the departure of Jarell Quansah to Leverkusen for 35 million pounds has already stretched the Reds' defensive resources, intensifying their pursuit of Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi as a potential replacement.

Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson urged the Reds to act decisively, warning it would be "crazy" to let Konate leave for free. He suggested Guehi as a ready-made replacement, stating, "Marc would be the standout option for me."

However, sporting director Richard Hughes is determined to resolve Konate's future this summer, with the club unwilling to wait until January when the defender could sign a pre-contract agreement with overseas clubs.

Recent posts on X have offered mixed signals. In January, journalist Melissa Reddy reported Konate's commitment to Liverpool, stating he was "happy at the club and would love to extend his stay, on the right terms." Yet, a June update from SportsPeteO claimed contract talks had "collapsed," raising fears that Konate could be sold soon to avoid losing him for nothing.

Konate himself dismissed media speculation in June, saying, "Don't believe anything the media says about my contract situation."

With Konate valued at around 51 million pounds, Liverpool face a critical decision: convince the defender to stay or cash in before his contract expires.

Manager Arne Slot views Konate as a cornerstone of the backline alongside Van Dijk, but the ball is firmly in the player's court as the Reds race to secure their defensive future.