Al-Ittihad are interested in signing Ibrahima Konate | OneFootball

With Ibrahima Konate set to leave Liverpool as a free agent when his contract expires on June 30, the scramble for one of European football’s most physically imposing centre-backs is underway, and Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad are firmly in the mix.

Set to become Liverpool’s third high-profile departure of the summer after Arne Slot and Mohamed Salah, Konate’s time at Anfield is up after five years, during which he won one Premier League title, one FA Cup, and two Carabao Cups.

Despite telling reporters as recently as last month that he and Liverpool were “close to an agreement” and that “for sure there is a big chance I’m here next season”, the two parties have been unable to finalise terms.

Clarity on Konate’s future is expected imminently, with the 27-year-old preparing to join France’s World Cup squad ahead of the tournament in the United States.

The timing creates an unusual window in which interested clubs must act quickly before the player’s focus shifts to international football, and Al-Ittihad are understood to be among those pressing for a swift resolution.

Konate has made 183 appearances for Liverpool since joining from RB Leipzig in 2021, establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most dominant aerial defenders and earning recognition as one of the finest centre-backs in the game when fit.

His availability on a free transfer—a rarity for a player of his calibre and age—has generated significant interest, with Al-Ittihad capable of offering a financial package few European clubs could match.

Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain were both credited with serious interest in Konate earlier in the campaign, but that speculation has since cooled.