Real Madrid unwilling to meet Liverpool asking price for defender

Real Madrid’s interest in Ibrahima Konate is documented at this point, but Liverpool are attempting to find a way around losing him in similar fashion to Trent Alexander-Arnold. Los Blancos are on course to attempt a similar game plan again though.

Konate is out of contract next summer, and so far has turned down all Liverpool attempts to renew his current deal. The fear at Anfield is that he could leave on a free next summer, after Real Madrid made him their top target for the 2026 summer in terms of free agents.

Liverpool take drastic action

In response, Liverpool have decided to make Konate available this summer. The French defender is one of their star performers, but in a bid to avoid losing him with no benefit at all, have set an asking price of €50m for the 26-year-old. If that price is not met, then Liverpool will seek to retain him for the coming season, and negotiate a new deal, as they did with Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

Real Madrid unwilling to meet asking price

It has been reported that Los Blancos intend to try and sign him on a free next summer first and foremost. Yet if they were to move for Konate, they would only be willing to spend €20-25m on a player they can negotiate with in six months, say Diario AS. Liverpool will be hoping that another suitor comes in for Konate with a €50m offer, but Real Madrid are operating under the impression theirs is the only offer he will accept.

Real Madrid well stocked in defence

Although Konate would be an upgrade on some of their current options, Real Madrid do have Raul Asencio, Dean Huijsen, David Alaba, Eder Militao and Antonio Rudiger in central defence, while there has been some suggestion that Aurelien Tchouameni, Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy could operate in a back three. Alaba and Rudiger are out of contract next summer, and a move for Konate once their high salaries are off the books makes sense.