Liverpool might reluctantly be open to selling one player in January, despite Arne Slot’s strong wish to keep him at the club.
Even though the summer transfer window closed a week ago, speculation continues around a particular figure at Anfield. According to The Times’ Paul Joyce, Liverpool’s efforts to secure a contract extension for Ibrahima Konate—now in the final year of his deal—have stalled, with Real Madrid reportedly among the interested clubs.
The 26-year-old didn’t ease the situation during the international break when he joked that his France teammate and Real star Kylian Mbappe has been calling him “every two hours” to tempt him to join the Bernabeu.
Sources close to Empire of the Kop suggest Liverpool may have to consider offers for Konate in January to avoid losing him on a free transfer next summer if no new contract is agreed.
This comes despite Liverpool’s strong push to keep Konate, and although Slot is keen to retain their number 5, the club’s leadership are weighing the financial risks of missing out on a potential €50 million (£43.4 million) transfer fee and are not ruling out a mid-season sale.
Alongside Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea are also interested, with Real’s chief scout reportedly planning a trip to England to try and secure the defender’s signature.
Liverpool now face a tough decision over Konate.
Following last season’s lengthy contract dramas with Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, the club could do without another prolonged “will-he-stay-or-go” saga.
At 6 foot 4, Konate is a formidable defender when fully fit. Micah Richards praised him on BBC Sport, saying he has “all the tools to be a top-class centre-half,” a point reinforced by his crucial goal-line clearance in France’s recent victory over Ukraine.
Slot’s determination to keep Konate likely intensified after the club missed out on signing Marc Guehi on deadline day. According to Joyce, Liverpool won’t pursue Guehi again in January, so losing Konate mid-season would be a serious blow.
Still, it’s understandable why Liverpool’s hierarchy would consider selling Konate in the winter rather than risk losing him for free next summer—especially if contract talks remain stalled.
The hope is that a resolution is reached before the end of 2025, sparing the club from facing a very difficult choice in the new year.
Leave a Reply