Konate preference between Liverpool, Real Madrid emerges as Klopp ‘agreement’ claim drops – report | OneFootball

Ibrahima Konate would prefer to stay at Liverpool than leave for Real Madrid as a free agent in the summer transfer window, according to a report, although there are claims that there is an ‘agreement’ between the defender and Jurgen Klopp.

Konate is out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the season, and Madrid are keen on snapping him up on a free transfer this summer.

Our friends at TEAMtalk have reported that Liverpool have made Konate their biggest contract offer yet.

The defending Premier League champions are confident that Konate will accept the new offer.

However, Real Madrid’s shadow looms large, with the Spanish and European giants having already made an offer in principle to Konate’s agents.

Sports Boom has now brought an update on Konate’s situation, reporting that the France international defender is ‘keen to stay’ at Liverpool beyond the end of the season.

The 26-year-old centre-back reportedly ‘remains hopeful a new deal can still be struck with Liverpool’.

Konate, who has been on the books of Liverpool since 2021, wants to ‘remain a cornerstone’ of the defending Premier League champions for years to come.

The report has credited Madrid and Bayern Munich with getting a deal done for Konate as a free agent.

This report comes amid claims in the Spanish media that there is an ‘agreement’ between Konate and Klopp to follow the German wherever he goes next.

Konate worked with Klopp at Liverpool and established himself as a key player for the Premier League club.

Klopp stepped down as the Liverpool manager at the end of the 2023/24 campaign and is now working as the Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull GmbH.

Real Madrid have made Klopp their top managerial target this summer, even though Alvaro Arbeloa took over from Xabi Alonso in January 2026.

The Spanish report has stated that Konate has ‘given the German coach his approval to accompany him on his next coaching adventure, in an operation that would be activated when the coach signs with his new club this summer and in which the Frenchman would be included’.

The report has added: ‘Klopp considers Konate one of the perfect pieces to build the sports project he intends to start in his next team.’

It continued: ‘‘The agreement between coach and player is said to be practically closed, but it all depends on the club that finally signs Klopp in the coming months.

‘The idea is that, once this move is finalised, the new team will also negotiate the arrival of Konate. The plan would be for both to be part of the same project from the start of the new sporting era.’