Richard Hughes must act fast to sign perfect Ibrahima Konate replacement | OneFootball

Ibrahima Konate has already packed his bags and exited Anfield.

The Frenchman's future has been up in the air for the last couple of seasons with both Liverpool and the centre-back expecting him to extend his stay.

Just a month or so ago, the defender said that the two parties were close to agreeing a new deal but, after failing to iron the last few bits of the contract out, an extension was taken off the table.

Since he announced he was leaving, several clubs have been linked with a move for the Frenchman with Real Madrid the team expected to acquire his services.

And, even though Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni will be available, the Reds still need to sign another centre-back before the 2026-27 season kicks off with the perfect option to replace Konate now slowly slipping out of their grasp.

Real Madrid are gearing up to make an offer for Nico Schlotterbeck

Borussia Dortmund's Nico Schlotterbeck is one of the many players who have long been linked with Liverpool.

The centre-back is one of Germany's best defenders with his ability to play as a left-back and centre-back highly sought-after by many clubs.

And, the fact that he's only 26 years old just adds to how good he actually is.

Although the defender has recently agreed an extension to his contract with Dortmund, he did include a release clause in the deal for some of the biggest clubs in the world, Liverpool included.

Since then, fans have begged Richard Hughes to activate the release clause but now, according to Bild, Real Madrid could be about to beat them to it.

"Schlotterbeck has an exit clause with a special World Cup regulation. Under certain conditions, it allows him to move this summer. The fixed transfer fee is expected to be between 50 and 60 million euros," they wrote.

"Real Madrid is one of the clubs that has direct access to the BVB star. The Whites are therefore planning to make Schlotterbeck an offer in the near future."

Why Nico Schlotterbeck is a perfect replacement for Ibrahima Konate

Schlotterbeck is one of the more experienced centre-backs that Liverpool have been linked with this summer.

Of course, Marcos Senesi is another but in terms of Champions League and top level experience, Schlotterbeck clears the Argentinian.

His arrival would obviously mean that Virgil van Dijk would have to move to right centre-back but, for around £50 million, there genuinely isn't a better option on the market for Liverpool.

The German international has played 37 games across all competitions and has score five goals and his statistics are also fairly impressive.

As per Fotmob, during the 2025-26 Bundesliga season the defender won 62.9 per cent of his aerial duels and 62 per cent of his ground duels per 90 minutes.

He also managed to maintain a pass accuracy percentage of 88.3 per cent per 90 and was only dribbled past 0.29 times per game.

These statistics coupled with his Champions League and Bundesliga make him the perfect target for Liverpool which is why Richard Hughes must act fast and sign him before Real Madrid swoop him up.