What is Ibrahima Konate's most likely destination this summer? | OneFootball

Liverpool are battling hard to convince Ibrahima Konate to agree a new contract with the club, although the last 12 months have suggested that his future might well lie away from the Reds.

Once a player enters the last year of their deal, it's incredibly likely that they'll leave as a free agent.

Trent Alexander-Arnold took that path last season, and the Frenchman could easily follow suit - in fact, it's being reported that Konate's preferred move is to join him at Real Madrid, if he is to leave.

However, the Spanish club appear to have withdrawn their interest in him recently, preferring to concentrate on Dayot Upamecano instead. So where are we left with potential suitors for him?

PSG, Bayern Munich or elsewhere?

As mentioned earlier, it's only right to reiterate that Liverpool still intend to keep Konate. Negotiations are taking place behind the scenes with his agents to try and find a compromise so he doesn't leave.

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The 26-year-old is a fantastic centre-back partner for Virgil Van Dijk and he'd be a big loss for the club to fill in the summer if he decides to look at pastures new. He cost just £35m four years ago, and yet it's almost guaranteed that it'll cost a hell of a lot more to sign someone even close to his level.

But the Reds know the risks involved in contract negotiations, and the decision was take to not consider offers for him last summer, so it's now a case of renewing his deal or losing him for free.

Real Madrid's interest appears to be dead and buried now, although that could soon change. Arne Slot's tactical undoing of the La Liga leaders on Tuesday might have caused a tiny bit of headloss.

Nonetheless, one of the updates from the midweek spree included the notion that Marc Guehi has given his word to Liverpool, which certainly feels optimistic given the uncertainty around Konate.

But the Frenchman has a lot of other continental suitors to consider and they still pose a high risk.

Anfield Watch exclusively reported earlier this year that Paris Saint Germain were hot on his tail, looking to repatriate him in his home city and offering him the club captain role in order to do it.

The Qatari-backed club might have greater scope to indulge the Frenchman in his £200,000 a week wage demands and he would still be regularly competing for league titles and the Champions League.

Even though we haven't heard very much from PSG recently in regard to Konate, they shouldn't be counted out of the running. After all, he wouldn't require a transfer fee, so he'd likely be considered.

And then we have Bayern Munich, who would need a replacement for Upamecano if Real Madrid got their way, and assuming that he doesn't extend his stay with the German giants. Konate played for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga before he become a Red, so he might get a homecoming in Germany.

That move would require Vincent Kompany's side to look at Konate before Guehi - if the Frenchman doesn't re-sign with Liverpool, and the move wouldn't compromise a potential transfer for Dortmund target Nico Schlotterbeck. To say that it's a complicated spiral is a serious understatement.

Ideally, the Reds will be able to keep Konate, sign Guehi and potentially bring another centre-back in as a long-term replacement for Joe Gomez or Van Dijk; everything that's impacted by those moves isn't for Liverpool to concern themselves with. But there's a lot to be decided so that can happen.