Real Madrid inform Liverpool they will not move for Konate | OneFootball

Real Madrid have informed Liverpool that they will not be moving for Ibrahima Konate despite months of speculation linking the defender with a free transfer next summer.

The Spanish champions had been tipped as the leading suitors for the 26-year-old, whose contract at Anfield is due to expire at the end of the season.

Liverpool have been attempting to extend Konate’s deal since 2023 and those talks continued under sporting director Richard Hughes after he took over the role last June.

The club believe they have shown a clear intention to keep the France international on Merseyside, but the absence of a breakthrough has left his future open going into the final months of his contract.

Konate will be free to speak with foreign clubs from January, yet his departure is not guaranteed, and the clarity from Madrid removes what had been viewed as the likeliest route out of Anfield.

The Athletic reports that Real contacted Liverpool directly to state in unequivocal terms that they will not pursue negotiations for the centre-back.

Their stance ends the prospect of Konate following Trent Alexander-Arnold to the Bernabeu after the right-back’s free-transfer move last summer.

Madrid have used the free market aggressively in recent windows, bringing in Kylian Mbappe, David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger without transfer fees, which had fuelled expectations that Konate could be next.

Liverpool are still weighing their defensive options after failing with a late push for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi last summer, and their interest in the England international is expected to continue into the coming window.

Any attempt to bring in another starting-level centre-back would inevitably shape the situation around Konate, who has accumulated more than 150 appearances for the club since joining from RB Leipzig in 2021.

His form has been scrutinised this season following a series of high-profile errors, yet he remains a regular starter under Arne Slot and continues to be regarded as an important figure in the squad.

He has also developed into a full France international during his time at Anfield, earning 26 caps and playing in the World Cup final in 2022.

Liverpool must now decide whether they can convince him to commit to fresh terms or allow him to join the growing list of high-profile free agents set to define the upcoming transfer window.