Bayern now speaking to Liverpool defender Konate over free summer transfer | OneFootball

Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has entered the final year of his contract with the Merseyside club and looks no closer to signing a new deal.

Several clubs are beginning to circle for the Liverpool star, putting plans in place to pick him up on a free transfer this summer.

According to Bild, Bayern Munich “has made contact with” Konate as Die Rekordmeister look to bolster their rearguard.

Liverpool are doing everything to tie the Frenchman down to a new deal, but he has not budged, paving the way for the six-time UEFA Champions League winners to enter the race for his signature.

Bayern are wary of losing Dayot Upamecano, a Liverpool target, for free this summer, and Konate is a potential replacement for his compatriot.

However, they are not alone in the race to take Konate if he leaves Liverpool, with Real Madrid also linked to the former RB Leipzig centre-half.

Liverpool fans may have to brace themselves for another painful farewell. Just as the club lost Trent Alexander-Arnold for free last summer, the same fate could await Konate.

The 26-year-old’s reluctance to commit to fresh terms, despite Liverpool’s best efforts, paints a bleak picture.

The signs are ominous, and while supporters may still hope for a late twist a la Mohamed Salah and Virgil Van Dijk, the reality is that Anfield could soon bid goodbye to one of its top defenders.

With Bayern and Real Madrid lurking, the Reds can’t afford to be caught flat-footed again.

Contingency planning must begin now, with names such as Marc Guehi, Nico Schlotterbeck, Ousmane Diomande, and Upamecano at the forefront.

They have all been linked with a move to the Reds.

These names offer experience, physical presence, youth, and tactical intelligence, exactly what Liverpool will need if Konate follows Alexander-Arnold out the Anfield door.