Former Liverpool star 'becomes free agent' as Ibrahima Konate transfer update 'emerges'

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Somewhere on Liverpool's list of priorities sits Ibrahima Konate. The longer the central defender creeps towards the end of his contract at Anfield, the risk of speculation around his future intensifies.

Liverpool also face the possibility of losing a player who has been a mainstay in this Premier League title-winning team for nothing next year. Konate made 42 appearances in all competitions under Arne Slot last season and overall for the Reds in four seasons has turned out 132 times.

His partnership with Virgil van Dijk is well-established but now the club are into the final 12 months of their No.5's contract and without a resolution, he will walk away for free at the age of 27. Whispers from Spain have been more like shouts, increasing in pitch as the months go by as the threat looms of Real Madrid tempting another Liverpool player away with no transfer fee in return.

The ECHO looks at the latest rumour about the Frenchman's future as the summer window takes another twist.

Real Madrid 'at work'

Fabrizio Romano, speaking to DAZN Football, claims Real Madrid are already working on the free signing of Konate for the summer of 2026, similar to how they tempted Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of this summer.

As they are not allowed to officially act until January 1, 2026, provided the defender has not renewed his contract at Anfield by then, this has supposedly involved the gathering of information they need before the time comes to approach the Reds player.

At the end of the recent campaign Konate addressed speculation around his future, saying: "You know, I just want to say one thing: Everything you saw on social media is completely fake. I didn't even ask for something from the club. They made me an offer, and I replied to them with something, that is it.

"The rest (speculation) that I want to wait until the end...I want this, all of it is completely fake. And even the big journalists said in November I am very close to signing the deal. I was like: 'Ah, they have more information than me!?'

"Progressing? Not really but my agent met the club last week but I don't know what will happen. I cannot say what my agent said to me but yeah, we will see what will happen."

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 'a free agent'

Elsewhere, a former Liverpool Premier League winner is also going through a contract situation it seems.

With it reported recently Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was in discussions with Turkish club Besiktas about terminating his deal one year early, Yagiz Sabuncuoglu reports that this is a done thing and the midfielder is now a free agent.

Oxlade-Chamberlain played under Jurgen Klopp between 2017 and 2023, winning several major honours including the English title and the Champions League but also hampered by various long-term injuries. Afterwards he made the move to Turkey when his contract on Merseyside expired.

This would leave the 31-year-old with weeks to go until the start of the 2025/26 campaign and without a club.

Formerly of Arsenal and Southampton too, he has been linked with several English clubs amid the possibility of a return to playing in the Premier League.

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