Real Madrid monitoring second Liverpool defender in contract situation

Real Madrid have had good success poaching some of the world’s best players on free transfers, and all of the talk is that Trent Alexander-Arnold will be the next to arrive at the Santiago Bernabeu without a transfer fee being paid. Liverpool have been warned, and will have to be alert to avoid another similar situation.

Part of the strategy at Real Madrid is to identify top players with unresolved contract situations in the final two years of their deal, and should they be interested, express as much early on to convince a player to sign with them. That has been the case with the likes of Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba and of course most notably, Kylian Mbappe. Even if they miss out on Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies, Los Blancos will continue to pursue players in the same manner.

The next could be another Liverpool defender in Ibrahima Konate. According to Caught Offside, Real Madrid are paying close attention to Konate and his contract talks with Liverpool. While the Reds are keen to make progress on a new deal for the Frenchman, whose current contract runs until 2026, they are yet to do so. As such, Los Blancos and Paris Saint-Germain are interested in poaching him from Anfield.

The centre-back position is one of need for Real Madrid, with David Alaba’s recovery from a serious knee injury putting his future in doubt, and Antonio Rudiger also into his thirties, Los Blancos are hoping to get younger at the position. Eder Militao is earmarked to be the leader of their defence going forward, but the Brazilian is now working his way back from a second cruciate ligament tear himself. Youngster Raul Asencio has impressed coming through, but it seems likely that this summer or next, Real Madrid will pursue another central defender.