Real Madrid move closer to signing Premier League star | OneFootball

Real Madrid have plans to address multiple areas of Alvaro Arbeloa’s squad during the upcoming summer transfer window, with one of the pressing being centre-back. David Alaba will be leaving when his contract expires in June, and with the possibility of Antonio Rudiger following him out of the exit door, a signing (or two) will be needed.

In recent weeks, there has been much talk regarding Real Madrid’s interest in Nico Schlotterbeck, who appears set to leave Borussia Dortmund in the summer. He’s on the list, but the same can also be said for Ibrahim Konate.

Real Madrid had originally ruled out signing Konate earlier in the season, but he’s back on the agenda. As per MD, a deal to bring the France international to the Bernabeu is edging closer, as he is still yet to commit to a new Liverpool contract.

Konate’s current deal expires at the end of the season, and he is still yet to decide where he wants to play next season. The door to a Liverpool stay is not completed closed, but it is becoming increasingly unlikely with each passing day, which plays into Real Madrid’s hands.

Konate would be significant upgrade on Alaba

As far as replacing Alaba goes, there is little doubt that Konate would be a fantastic upgrade. He’s not had the best season with Liverpool, but at his best, he was considered to be one of the leading defenders in the Premier League. Real Madrid will certainly hope he can return to that form if he signs in the summer.

For now, there is still plenty of uncertainty regarding Konate’s situation, but this plays into Real Madrid’s hands. Signing him as a free agent would be an excellent piece of business, while it would also allow more funds to be used towards the other areas of the first team squad that need to be addressed during the transfer window.