Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Arsenal - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - August 31, 2025 Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate walks off the pitch after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Phil Noble EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR 'LIVE' SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 120 IMAGES, NO VIDEO EMULATION. NO USE IN BETTING, GAMES OR SINGLE CLUB/LEAGUE/PLAYER PUBLICATIONS. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE FOR FURTHER DETAILS..
Liverpool dominated the headlines last season not only for their Premier League title win, but also for tense contract negotiations with several key players.
Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold were all due to be out of contract this summer.
While Arne Slot’s debut campaign ended in a fairytale title triumph, uncertainty over the trio’s futures lingered into the final weeks of the season.
Eventually, the club captain and beloved Egyptian winger signed new deals to stay until 2027, easing the concern of supporters leading up to the club’s 20th title win.
Alexander-Arnold, however, chose to run down his contract and departed on a free transfer to Real Madrid, though Liverpool did recoup around £10m for him to leave in June to participate in the Club World Cup.
The right-back’s decision provoked anger and frustration among supporters, who felt betrayed by the local hero who had lived out their dreams in the famous red shirt.
Liverpool are no strangers to losing players to Los Blancos; Xabi Alonso and Michael Owen both made high-profile moves in the past, while Real’s interest in current Reds continues.
Alexis Mac Allister has reportedly been monitored, and Ibrahima Konate is now firmly on their radar as his contract runs down.
The French defender is in the final months of his contract, with reports suggesting Liverpool are unwilling to meet his £200k-per-week wage demands.
A move to Madrid, following in Alexander-Arnold’s footsteps, is now a genuine possibility.
Konate is currently away on international duty with France alongside Kylian Mbappé, who joined Real Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
Appearing on French broadcaster Telefoot, he was asked about the speculation surrounding a potential move to join his compatriot in Spain.
“The Spanish press is linking you with a move to Real Madrid next season, and Kylian Mbappé is putting a little pressure on you to join?” Presenter Séverine Parlakou asked.
“He calls me every couple of hours!” Konate laughed before admitting he had not learned to speak Spanish.
Will Liverpool Let Konaté Go?
Since joining from RB Leipzig in 2021, the 26-year-old has made 136 appearances for Liverpool, forming a formidable partnership with Van Dijk.
Together, they have delivered two Carabao Cups, an FA Cup and more recently, last season’s Premier League title.
His contribution to the success on Merseyside is undeniable, but Slot will be eager to avoid another contract saga becoming an unwelcome distraction in the pursuit of further success.
The Reds agreed a deal to sign Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi on Deadline Day, only for the move to collapse at the final moments when the South London club pulled the plug.
They are expected to return for him in January or the summer when he becomes a free agent, but face stiff competition for his signature.
Ideally, Liverpool would secure Guehi early in the January window to ease pressure over Konate’s situation, as it could also allow the club to consider cashing in if the Frenchman refuses to extend in the coming months.
After losing Alexander-Arnold for next to nothing, Liverpool will be reluctant to have an ongoing situation throughout the campaign with their centre-back too.
The next few months will be pivotal in shaping the future of their defence, and in deciding whether Konate remains at the heart of it.
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