Liverpool are looking increasingly likely to lose yet another player on a free transfer as contract talks remain at a cross roads.
Twelve months ago, the Premier League champions found themselves embroiled in one of the most tense periods of contract negotiations in recent memory. At the heart of it were three of their biggest stars: Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Fast forward to the summer of 2025, and the Reds find themselves once again facing the possibility of losing a world-class defender on a free — this time, Ibrahima Konaté.
The parallels between the current situation and the one that unfolded last year are striking. Both involve elite players, pivotal to Liverpool’s success, entering the final 12 months of their contracts, with negotiations stalling and Real Madrid looming as a major suitor.
Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, already club legends, successfully signed contract extensions after protracted negotiations. Their renewals were critical to maintaining Liverpool’s competitiveness and stability. But it was the saga of Trent Alexander-Arnold that dominated headlines and ultimately frustrated Liverpool supporters and executives alike.
Trent, a boyhood Liverpool fan and product of the club’s academy, had been integral to Liverpool’s recent successes. As his contract entered its final year, the club and player engaged in difficult talks. Despite Liverpool’s efforts, the defender declined to sign an extension.
Now, Ibrahima Konaté finds himself in a similar position to Alexander-Arnold a year ago.
The French centre-back has blossomed into one of Europe’s top defenders, playing a key role in Arne Slot’s Premier League title-winning team. His contract, like Trent’s was, now has just 12 months left however negotiations to extend his stay have stalled.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano provided an update on his DAZN Football YouTube podcast.
“Liverpool’s latest contract extension talks with Ibrahima Konaté and his agents have ended in stalemate. The situation is getting really tense between the player and the club, with Liverpool running the risk of losing the player for free next year.
Real Madrid are working on a deal to sign Konaté on a free transfer in 2026. No official offer yet, but their interest is strong.”
While losing Alexander-Arnold was painful, Konaté’s potential departure carries additional weight.
Liverpool’s defensive depth is thinner than last summer. The surprise sale of young defender Jarell Quansah has removed a promising future option, and with Virgil van Dijk approaching 34, maintaining a strong core of centre-backs is vital.
Konaté, at 25, is entering his prime. Losing him for free would leave Liverpool vulnerable at the back and would raise serious questions about the club’s ability to manage contract renewals and squad stability.
The French international’s rise has been steady, not explosive, but no less impressive. Signed in the summer of 2021 from RB Leipzig for £36 million, his integration into the squad was carefully managed. Initially rotating with Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, he slowly earned more minutes, most notably alongside Virgil van Dijk.
By the 2023–24 campaign, Konaté had made himself undroppable. His blend of pace, elite positioning, strength in duels, and comfort on the ball made him a key part of Liverpool’s high line. It was no surprise when he became a regular feature in Didier Deschamps’s France squads.
Off the pitch, he’s earned the respect of the dressing room for his quiet leadership, professionalism, and discipline. He represents the kind of profile most top clubs build around: young, physically elite, tactically intelligent with European experience under his belt and winning plenty of silverware.
In May, Konaté addressed the swirling speculation following Liverpool’s title-clinching win on the final day of the season. He dismissed some of the media reports outright.
“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 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 that I am very close to signing the deal. I was like: ‘Ah, they have more information than me?!’ It was not true at that moment.”
The centre-back appeared frustrated by outside speculation, but his comments only deepened the mystery around why a deal hasn’t materialised.
The Spanish giants have made no secret of their admiration for Konaté. Having completed the high-profile £10m transfer of Alexander-Arnold earlier this summer, Madrid appear to be employing a similar approach with Konaté — long-term scouting, relationship-building behind the scenes and a willingness to wait until the player’s deal expires.
Romano confirmed Real’s current position in their pursuit.
“There is nothing official, also because the player is still a Liverpool player. Real Madrid will respect that. But their interest is there. For sure, Madrid always monitor this kind of situation with players close to the end of their contract. Konaté is one of them.”
Madrid do not intend to spend significant money on him this summer. Spanish publication AS reported Liverpool’s £43.5 million price tag makes that clear, but they are poised to strike in 2026 if the impasse continues.
In fact, Romano added that Konaté is pleased with the idea of joining Madrid on a free, calling it “a plan that suits both sides.”
The reality is, Liverpool may be forced into a decision sell now at a reduced fee or risk another free departure. The club is open to selling Konaté this summer if a suitable offer arrives, but as Romano made clear:
“Let’s see what is going to happen in the next weeks because eventually if there are complications and Liverpool decide to sell the player this summer, for Real Madrid, it could be a last-minute opportunity.”
Liverpool remain hopeful of resolving the situation but time is running out. If there is no breakthrough by early September, they may be forced to reassess their stance and open the door to a sale, even if reluctantly.
At present, no bids have arrived. Madrid are in no rush. The situation becomes even more complex when viewed in the context of Liverpool’s current defensive options.
Jarell Quansah, considered one of the club’s brightest homegrown talents, was sold to Bayer Leverkusen in June for a reported £40 million. That move surprised many — Quansah had just broken into the first team and was seen as a long-term partner for Konaté. With Joel Matip gone, Joe Gomez battling fitness concerns, and an aging Van Dijk, Liverpool’s depth at centre-back is vulnerable and thin.
Konaté was one of ten senior players to miss Liverpool’s opening pre-season match at Preston. His first minutes this season are expected during the club’s tour of Hong Kong and Japan. Whether his future will be decided by then is still unclear.
Konaté is currently Liverpool’s most reliable and athletic central defender. Losing him would create a massive gap both tactically and symbolically at a time when the squad is undergoing transition under Slot.
For now, the player remains professional and focused. But the silence from both sides over the past month suggests deeper complications.
As Real Madrid wait quietly in the wings, Liverpool face a race not just against the transfer clock, but against repeating a mistake they can’t afford to make again.
