Real Madrid chief jets in to agree Ibrahima Konate deal | OneFootball

There could be a radical overhaul coming to the centre of the Liverpool defence.

The process was started over the summer transfer window - with Jarell Quansah leaving for Bayer Leverkusen and Giovanni Leoni being recruited from Parma.

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Quansah earned the club around £35m while Leoni cost about £26m. But the changes won’t stop there.

Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez.

Liverpool's centre-back uncertainty

Rhys Williams remains at the club for now having failed to secure a move in summer. But there are doubts over at least two of Liverpool’s senior centre-backs.

That’s why links to Marc Guehi have been so prominent. It looks like the Crystal Palace captain is destined to become a Liverpool player one day - following the collapse of his deadline day transfer to Anfield.

The Reds will be back next summer to secure the England defender to a free transfer.

It remains to be seen how long Gomez stays at the club - with Liverpool fielding bids from AC Milan and Crystal Palace late in the summer transfer window.

Liverpool could sell Konate

Meanwhile the most pressing situation concerns Ibrahima Konate.

The France defender is out of contract in 2026 - and so far no breakthrough has been reached in talks over a new deal.

Real Madrid would dearly love to add the 26-year-old as a free transfer of their own next summer and Liverpool are seeking to avoid that fate.

The best case is tying the Frenchman down to a new deal or failing that they could move him on in January.

Empire of the Kop is claiming that there is a €50m price on Konate heading into the winter window - and that three clubs in particular are now in the chase.

© IMAGO - Ibrahima Konate Liverpool

Madrid lead chase for Konate

It’s been reported that Jose Angel Sanchez - Madrid’s chief scout - is about to embark on a trip to Liverpool in order to discuss a transfer bid for Konate.

And the other teams in the frame are Premier League rivals Chelsea as well as European champions Paris Saint-Germain.

“Real Madrid are joined in their interest by Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, and Los Blancos’ chief scout is preparing to travel to England in an attempt to secure a deal for the 26-year-old,” the report reads.

PSG’s interest was first detailed by Anfield Watch - amid much uncertainty over Konate’s future.

Although they have signed Iliya Zabarnyi, the Parisian club would like to bring Konate back to his home city and the captaincy of the club has even been dangled as a sweetener.