Liverpool Star Continues to Push Towards Real Madrid Transfer

Liverpool may be forced into a major defensive shakeup as Caught Offside reports that Ibrahima Konaté is refusing to sign a new contract and has made it clear he only wants to join Real Madrid.

This bombshell comes at a critical time for both clubs. Real Madrid are aggressively pursuing a world-class center back, and Konaté has emerged as their top target.

Their interest is not new, but it has intensified dramatically following the club’s embarrassing defensive performances at the Club World Cup, where even makeshift backlines were exposed by inferior opposition.

Madrid See Konaté as the Answer

For Madrid, Konaté represents more than just a positional upgrade. He is a superstar-caliber defender in his prime, a proven Champions League performer, and a physical colossus who can dominate at the back for the next decade.

With David Alaba continuing to battle fitness issues and Eder Militão not at his best following an ACL tear, Los Blancos are alarmingly thin in central defense.

Signing Konaté now would allow them to pair him with Antonio Rüdiger immediately, while grooming young talents like Dean Huijsen, who arrived from Bournemouth, in a lower-pressure environment.

And the appeal goes both ways.

Konaté Wants Madrid—And the French Revolution

Per Caught Offside, Konaté isn’t just open to Madrid—he’s actively pushing for the move. With his contract expiring in 2026 and no renewal in sight, Liverpool may be forced to sell now or in 2025 for a discounted fee rather than risk losing him for free.

Konaté is reportedly eager to join forces with Kylian Mbappé, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and Eduardo Camavinga, forming a dominant French core. Madrid are building something special, and Konaté clearly wants in.

Liverpool’s Dilemma

From Liverpool’s side, the situation is delicate. Konaté was expected to be the long-term anchor of the defense, the successor to Virgil van Dijk, and a cornerstone of the post-Klopp rebuild. But a string of injury concerns and now contract stalling have put his future in doubt.

It would be devastating for Liverpool to lose both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Konaté to Madrid within months, but that scenario is now very much in play.

With no sign of a new deal being agreed upon, Liverpool could be pressured into negotiating a deal this summer—likely in the range of €50–60 million—to avoid a bigger loss next year.

What Happens Next?

Real Madrid have the money to act now. And given the urgency of their defensive problems, they might not wait until 2025. The Spanish giants know what they want, and Ibrahima Konaté is making it increasingly obvious that he wants them, too.

Unless Liverpool can pull off a contract miracle, it seems only a matter of time before Konaté trades Anfield red for Bernabéu white.