Second source names dream Liverpool replacement with huge deal green-lit

Fresh reports in Spain claim Ibrahima Konate is on the brink of agreeing a free transfer move to Real Madrid at the end of the season, with a second source claiming Liverpool are well aware of his intentions and are ready to push hard to land their number one choice as his replacement.

The French defender is into the fifth and final season of the contract he signed when first joining Liverpool in a £36m (€40m, $46m) deal from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2021. Having won four major honours since moving to Anfield, including last season’s Premier League title, Konate has established himself as one of the world’s very best central defenders.

The Merseysiders are desperate to tie Konate to a new deal, having first opened talks with his representatives last autumn. But some 12 months later, an agreement is yet to be reached and fears are starting to gather serious pace that an escape to Real Madrid could be on the cards.

Last week, Fabrizio Romano revealed the Reds were now in a “very difficult” spot with Konate, with the transfer guru dropping an alarming update that does not bode well for Arne Slot’s side.

Now, in the wake of their calamitous 5-2 defeat to city rivals Atletico Madrid on Saturday, reports in Spain have said Florentino Perez is now more determined than ever to bring Konate to the Bernabeu, amid claims he’s ‘closer than ever’ to Real and may even ‘sign a contract with them from January’.

Defensa Central‘s report adds: ‘Konate, a true defensive wall with a great header, is a player that the derby has ended up bringing Madrid even closer to.’

And while they state ‘Liverpool still intend to renew his contract’ they claim officials at Anfield ‘know he’s already decided to join Real Madrid’.

Furthermore, the Reds ‘suspect he’s already had talks with Real Madrid through intermediaries, and those secret negotiations ‘could be the reason why he has such a firm intention to reject major financial and sporting offers from the English club’.

Their report concludes: ‘In January, Konate could negotiate directly with Real Madrid and even sign a contract.’

In light of those claims, it’s now reported Liverpool have ramped up their quest to sign a replacement, with their top priority now having been identified….

MORE ON KONATE

🔴 Who are Ibrahima Konate’s agents, and what does he earn at Liverpool?

🔴 Konate responds to Liverpool offer of £185,000-a-week to stop Real Madrid transfer – report

Liverpool step up chase for Bayern star to replace Konate – report

Reports last week suggested Liverpool had their gaze firmly fixed on Bayern Munich star Dayot Upamecano as their top replacement for Konate next season.

In fact, the defender is listed as one of FOUR central defensive targets the Reds were closely monitoring ahead of the 2026 windows.

And with the 32-times capped France star also coming to the end of his contract with Bayern Munich next summer, the Reds are seeking a like-for-like replacement – and without spending a penny.

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are now stepping up their quest to land the 26-year-old, who previously partnered Konate at Leipzig.

Suggesting the defender’s ‘lightning speed’ is of huge appeal to Slot, their report claims Upamecano is ‘now being spoken about with a move to Liverpool’ and that the player has ‘a lot of qualities that would benefit the Reds’.

Blessed with ‘stunning pace’ and described as ‘very, very quick’, Liverpool scouts are now ‘evaluating the player’ to decide if he would be the perfect replacement for Konate.

The Reds believe the offer of regular first-team football can help them win the chase for a player who is likely to be pursued by several top sides if available on a free, and Slot and Co will be ‘confident’ of signing him should they make an approach.

Liverpool latest: Second Euro giant wants ‘scapegoated’ Konate; Slot’s emotional Jota claim

On the subject of Konate, it’s claimed Liverpool must now fend off a new suitor in their quest to convince Konate to sign a new deal at Anfield.

At the same time, Rio Ferdinand has gone head-to-head with another pundit in a staunch defence of the “scapegoated” Reds star.

Elsewhere, Slot has come clean on summer links to Victor Osimhen, explaining whether he was ever a target and having revealed why the tragic passing of Diogo Jota forced the Reds’ hand in the transfer market.

In other news, Slot has been told he may have been too hasty in his decision to offload Tyler Morton this summer, with a number of French journalists foaming at the mouth over the impact the 22-year-old has made in France and having compared him to a current Man Utd star in his prime.

Click here to read article