Liverpool are reportedly exploring a move for Gleison Bremer after confirmation that Ibrahima Konate will leave the club this summer following the breakdown of contract talks.
According to reports, Liverpool are now stepping up contingency planning at centre-back, with an Italian report naming the Juventus FC defender as a leading candidate to fill the void left by Konaté.
Konate exit forces Liverpool into defensive rethink
The situation marks a dramatic turnaround given expectations earlier this year that Ibrahima Konate would sign a new long-term contract at Anfield.
However, reports now indicate Liverpool and the Frenchman failed to resolve final sticking points in negotiations, meaning the defender is set to depart as a free agent after five years at the club.
? BREAKING: Ibrahima Konaté leaves Liverpool as free agent, decision made.
After advanced talks to stay with fresh deal and confirmation from the player in April, Konaté leaves as no final agreement has been found.
Negotiations over, as @TalkSport reports. pic.twitter.com/3ylZ269pfY
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 29, 2026
Konate leaves having made 183 appearances for Liverpool, winning major honours including the Premier League, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup during his time on Merseyside.
For Liverpool, though, the bigger issue is what comes next.
With Virgil van Dijk entering the latter stages of his career and uncertainty around long-term defensive depth, replacing Konate has quickly become one of the club’s most urgent priorities.
Bremer emerges as experienced replacement option
According to Calciomercato, Liverpool have identified Gleison Bremer as a serious option.
The Brazilian defender has built a strong reputation in Serie A, first starring for Torino before earning a move to Juventus in 2022.
Now 29, Bremer is reportedly available for around €40m (£34.5m) after Juventus missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification and seek to raise funds.
Liverpool and sporting director Richard Hughes have made Juventus center-back Gleison Bremer a top priority for the summer window.
Bremer has received permission to leave Italy for a fee of €40m, as Juventus need to raise funds after failing to qualify for Champions League… pic.twitter.com/CqUaa6NkvP
— Goaldata – Liverpool Zone (@LiverpoolZNE) May 29, 2026
That price point would make him one of the more affordable experienced centre-back options currently on the market. That said, Liverpool rarely sign players above the age of 26, making Bremer an outlier if he does join the Reds.
Liverpool’s interest in signing Gleison Bremer is not entirely new, with the Brazilian linked with a move to Anfield repeatedly over the years.
Bremer also offers Liverpool something they may now find themselves lacking with Konate leaving: pace and strength. Virgil van Dijk is not as spry as he once was even if he remains the best centre-back in the Premier League.
The Liverpool captain needs a reliable centre-back partner and Bremer could be an out-of-the-box solution to the problems Liverpool now have in a post-Konate era.
