Reports from Spain suggest that Liverpool might be willing to sell one of their current first-team regulars during the January transfer window.
Although the transfer window closed two weeks ago, rumors about Ibrahima Konate’s future persist. The defender is now in the last 10 months of his contract at Anfield. Last week, Lewis Steele revealed that Real Madrid are increasingly confident about signing Konate in 2026, and have even discussed a potential deal with the 26-year-old, who has yet to give any clear signs that he wants to leave Liverpool.
While Real Madrid could wait to sign him on a free transfer next summer, they appear keen to act sooner.
Real Madrid’s January Bid for Konate
According to E-Noticies, Xabi Alonso’s team is set to make a strong push for Konate, planning a €40 million (£34.6 million) offer in January. It’s suggested that Liverpool might accept this bid to avoid losing their number 5 for free at the end of the season, if they can’t secure a contract extension beforehand. Current Real Madrid player Arda Guler has reportedly spoken to Konate about the potential move and supports the transfer.
Liverpool Urged to Secure Konate’s Future
Selling Konate in January would make financial sense compared to letting him leave for free in the summer. However, losing a key player to their Spanish rivals midway through the campaign would be hard for Liverpool fans to stomach.
Konate’s lighthearted comment on French TV, mentioning that Kylian Mbappe calls him “every two hours,” hasn’t helped to quiet the rumors of a Real Madrid move—and likely didn’t sit well on Merseyside.
Despite early-season criticism, Konate has been solid in recent games, contributing to clean sheets against Arsenal and Burnley. He forms a dominant defensive partnership with Virgil van Dijk when at his best.
Liverpool insist they won’t pressure Konate to stay if he’s unwilling to sign a new contract (The Times), but the club is eager to retain him. Hopefully, all parties can finalize an agreement before the end of the year to end the constant speculation about a potential Real Madrid transfer.
The sooner this is resolved, the better, to finally put an end to the ongoing rumors.
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