A new report claims that Liverpool are now “fearing the worst” about Ibrahima Konate reaching an agreement with Real Madrid over a move to the club in 2026.
The Frenchman made a slow start to the season, playing a key part in the Reds’ dip in form, but he has shown significant improvements in recent matches.
Konate was excellent in the 1-0 win at home to Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday night, but he has been continually linked with a move to the Spanish giants in recent months.
Now, Football Insider report that Liverpool are now “fearing the worst” when it comes to the 26-year-old’s future, suggesting he could be off to the Santiago Bernabeu next summer.
A pre-contract agreement could be reached in January, prior to a switch at the end of the season, allowing him to then depart Anfield on a free transfer.
Keeping Konate remains priority business for Liverpool
As mentioned, Konate’s form left a lot to be desired earlier in the campaign, but he remains a vital player for Liverpool when he is fully fit and firing.
He has built such a strong relationship with Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the Reds’ defence, while Arne Slot spoke about how impressed he was with him soon after arriving at the club:
“I was impressed by how much he wants to learn. So every time we are on the pitch, or having individual clips or team meetings he is so focused on trying to understand what we want from him. All the guys are quite positive in that but, in my opinion, he stands out in trying to learn the things that we are trying to hand over to it.
“That is one of the reasons why his performances are very stable and the other thing is he is playing next to a player who we would all love to play alongside. But for Virgil it is the same with Ibou, I think the two of them are complementary. They bring out the best in each other so that is the reason why the two of them do so well.”
Hopefully, Konate sees his future at Liverpool, much like Trent Alexander-Arnold last season, there is a lingering feeling that the lure of Madrid could be too great to turn down.
