Major contract news coming out of Liverpool after Paul Joyce revelation

Reliable reporting from The Times’ Paul Joyce has already confirmed that talks with Konate ‘remain at an impasse’.

You can certainly forgive the inevitable eye-rolling that will be cascading across the red half of Merseyside, given the centre-back’s position is believed to be tied to interest from perennial poachers Real Madrid.

Now, journalist Nicolo Schira reports on X (formerly Twitter) that the Frenchman is indeed ready to depart in 2026.

Further to the point, he’s alleged to have passed up on a ‘huge bid’ from the Saudi Pro League in favour of the long-term contract on the table from the La Liga giants.

Could Konate join Real Madrid in January?

Sources close to the agents’ industry have informed Empire of the Kop that Liverpool are prepared to consider offers for Ibrahima Konate in January.

That would, of course, be in the event of the Frenchman still stalling on signing a contract extension at Anfield.

We would speculate that the club will more than likely be inclined to secure an incoming, should our No.5 be given the all-clear to seek pastures new in the winter window.

Who exactly that option is, however, remains unclear, given that prior reporting from Paul Joyce has also indicated that Liverpool won’t test Crystal Palace’s resolve for Marc Guehi in January.

Of course, that position may very well be a flexible one depending on the Eagles’ willingness to retrieve some value from their own expiring star.

Either way, it would be the height of insanity for Arne Slot’s men to reduce their senior options at centre-back to three – Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, and Giovanni Leoni – without an appropriate signing.