Liverpool Defender Exit Seen As ‘Done Deal’ | OneFootball

Liverpool Resigned to Losing Ibrahima Konaté to Real Madrid

Reports from Marca, suggest Liverpool are reluctantly accepting that Ibrahima Konaté’s move to Real Madrid is edging towards inevitability. Despite the season only just beginning, speculation surrounding the Frenchman’s future refuses to die down.

Real Madrid’s Long-Standing Interest

Los Blancos have admired Konaté for several years, and now appear confident they can secure his services on a free transfer. His contract expires next summer, and Marca report that Madrid have already made contact with the French defender.

For Liverpool, this is a familiar frustration. The club went through a similar saga with Trent Alexander-Arnold and risk losing another key player without financial compensation. Talks between Liverpool and Konaté have stalled, while the defender himself has remained notably silent.

Contract Stalemate Frustrating Liverpool

Konaté’s on-pitch efforts have not been questioned. However, off the pitch the outlook is grim. The Reds have attempted to tie him down with new terms, but no breakthrough has been achieved.

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As a result, Marca’s report states Liverpool are now “treating Konate’s exit as a done deal,” echoing how the club eventually conceded to Alexander-Arnold’s decision.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

From a Liverpool fan perspective, the Konaté situation is deeply unsettling. Losing a defender of his calibre, particularly for free, feels like a huge misstep in squad planning. Konaté’s blend of pace, strength, and technical quality makes him one of the most reliable defenders when fit, and allowing Real Madrid to swoop in without a transfer fee echoes painful memories of past departures.

There will be questions over whether the club acted quickly enough. Liverpool have been proactive in some areas of recruitment, but in others – particularly when renewing contracts of key players – they have been accused of moving too slowly. With Alexander-Arnold already gone, the thought of losing Konaté compounds the sense of vulnerability in Liverpool’s defensive core.

Fans may also feel uneasy at the lack of January ambition. Refusing to re-visit Marc Guehi, or another centre-back option, suggests the club is willing to accept defensive instability until summer. For a side competing in multiple competitions, this is risky business.

Ultimately, supporters want to see Liverpool act with greater decisiveness. If Konaté’s exit is indeed inevitable, the club should ensure his successor is identified and secured swiftly – rather than being left scrambling when the damage is already done.