Liverpool star atop three-man Real Madrid shortlist for 2026 | OneFootball

Real Madrid have made it their priority to sign top players that are out of contract on a free, and save their spending on major transfer fees for younger alternatives, as has been the case with Dean Huijsen. Already they are lining up potential target for next summer.

That is according to Marca, who say that discussions are already underway regarding potential additions for 2026. Los Blancos began their pursuit of Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold in March of 2024, and even earlier for Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies. They are looking at another of Liverpool’s players for the summer of 2026.

Ibrahima Konate to be targeted by Real Madrid

Their information is that central defender Ibrahima Konate is at the forefront of Real Madrid’s thinking for next summer. The 26-year-old France international has already rejected a contract offer from the Reds, and his signing could follow a similar path to that of Alexander-Arnold. Konate has previously been named alongside the likes of Huijsen and Arsenal central defender William Saliba as their preferred options in defence.

Image via the Daily Mirror

Two more defenders in Real Madrid plans

Another in a similar situation to Konate is Arsenal left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly. Los Blancos were impressed with the England international during their Champions League clash, and he too is out of contract next year. There has been positive movement on a deal with Lewis-Skelly though. Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera is also at a crucial juncture, with Los Che trying to renew his deal, and no shortage of teams interested in a cut-price deal this summer.

Real Madrid’s renewal of the backline

Those targets speak to Real Madrid’s clear desire to revamp their backline. In addition to Alexander-Arnold and Huijsen, a move for Benfica left-back Alvaro Carreras is expected to be completed this summer. David Alaba, Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger and Ferland Mendy – the Champions League-winning back four from 2022 – are now all into their thirties and the final two years of their contracts.