Real Madrid Circle as Konaté Shows No Sign of Extending

Reports from Spain are once again linking Ibrahima Konaté with a future move to Real Madrid, and the noise is only going to grow louder if Liverpool fail to agree a new deal with him soon.

Spanish outlet AS has outlined what they claim is Madrid’s long-term plan for their defence. They believe Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba will both leave when their contracts expire in 2026, and that Konaté is pencilled in as the man to take over. The Madrid press are painting him as the “prototype” successor to Rüdiger, stressing the club’s obsession with signing players on free transfers rather than paying huge fees.

The piece admits Liverpool won’t make it easy, with Konaté being an undisputed starter for Arne Slot. But it also points to comments the Frenchman made during the international break, when he joked: “Mbappé calls me every two hours!” in response to questions about Madrid’s interest. A throwaway remark, but the Spanish press will always use any little quote to fuel the narrative.

Adding weight to the story, rent-a-tweet Fabrizio Romano has once again stated that Konaté is on Madrid’s list. He insists the move would only happen if the defender does not extend his Liverpool contract and, as things stand, there is no renewal agreement in place.

Madrid are presenting this as part of a calm, long-term “roadmap,” but in reality it’s the same playbook we’ve seen before — unsettling players through the press and applying pressure on their clubs. Liverpool fans know this routine all too well after the Trent saga.

From our perspective, all signs point towards Konaté leaving Liverpool for Madrid next year. People inside the club have repeatedly indicated to us that he has shown no interest in signing an extension.

Paul Joyce, the journalist closest to Liverpool’s decision-makers, summed it up perfectly over the weekend when he wrote: “While Liverpool do not want to lose the player, they will not beg anyone to remain at Anfield.” That comment alone underlines our belief that Konaté’s future lies away from Anfield.

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