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Real Madrid is said to be monitoring Ibrahima Konate’s contract situation as the Liverpool defender continues to be linked with an exit from Anfield.
Konate’s contract expires next summer, with Liverpool’s attempts to tie him down to a new deal having seemingly stalled. A new contract has been touted for some time, with the French international even addressing speculation over his future at the start of the year, but no progress has been made.
And with the clock ticking down on his current deal, speculation grows over a potential move to Madrid, with the Spanish giant reportedly looking at securing yet another free agent.
According to ESPN, Real are monitoring Konate’s situation with a view to signing him next summer.
The update comes after it emerged this week that William Saliba, who had also been linked with a move to the Bernabeu, had agreed a new five-year contract at Arsenal. The 24-year-old’s current deal expires in 2027, although he is expected to sign new terms until 2030 in the coming days.
That, ESPN says, comes as a blow to Real, who had been tracking Saliba with an eye on making a bid in 2026.
The Arsenal star is said to have been Los Blancos’ next top target, with some doubts internally over a move for Konate.
It’s claimed that some within the Bernabeu see the Liverpool defender as the next player in line in their policy of picking up players at the end of their contracts, following on from the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kylian Mbappe and David Alaba.
However, not everyone in the Spanish capital is convinced on Konate, and other options are being looked at, including RB Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba.
Addressing speculation over his future back in May, Konate said: "You know, I just want to say one thing: everything you saw on social media is completely fake," Konate said, responding to more speculation over his future. "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.
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"The rest (speculation) 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 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 and that is why I was a little bit mad because it was not true at this moment. I knew at one moment people would think I didn't want to sign the contract but I was never close to signing it. We will see what will happen."
Konate would go on to add: "Progressing? Not really but my agent met the club last week but I don't know what will happen. I cannot say what my agent said to me but yeah, we will see what will happen."
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