Real Madrid could move for Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate | OneFootball

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes has a massive job on his hands once the season ends as he needs to sort out the contracts of several key players.

The Reds trio of Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah are out of contract at the end of the season, and no one knows what the future holds for them.

Real Madrid are confident of signing Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer in the summer, and he is not the only Liverpool player they’re looking after.

According to a report from the Daily Mail, the La Liga giants are also heavily interested in signing Reds centre-back Ibrahima Konate.

Florentino Perez is keen to sign the 25-year-old centre-back whose contract runs out at the end of next season. Paris Saint-Germain are also interested, but Konate has shown no desire of leaving Anfield as yet.

Liverpool have opened talks with Konate’s representatives over a new deal last year, but they have yet to reach an agreement.

Konate is a “pivotal” figure for Liverpool, and his partnership with Van Dijk has been one of the major reasons why the Reds have done so well this season.

Liverpool cannot afford to lose both Konate and Van Dijk

Madrid are unlikely to move for him in the summer; rather, they will look to get him when he becomes a free agent.

Konate has made 22 appearances (21 starts) in the Premier League under Arne Slot and has scored one goal. He has also scored one goal in the Champions League.

Since joining from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2021 for £36 million, he has become one of the key players for the Reds, and losing both Van Dijk and Konate would be a disaster.

Konate can enjoy his prime years at Liverpool and win more trophies, but he may find the lure of joining Madrid too hard to turn down if they make an offer for him in the summer.