It looked likely — now it’s certain. Ibrahima Konaté is about to become one of the biggest free‑agent prizes of the summer, if not the prize. He’ll hit the market valued at roughly $54 million, making him the most valuable free agent available anywhere in Europe (ahead of Vlahović at ~$38M and Bernardo Silva at ~$29M).
He’s made a firm decision: he will not renew with Liverpool. That chapter is closed. Now he’s listening to offers. Real Madrid is monitoring the situation very closely—though the club hasn’t made a move yet and hasn’t decided whether he’s their top choice. But they are looking for a center back… possibly two. And the idea of landing one of them for free is extremely appealing.
Everything is already under way from Konaté’s end. Konaté’s extension with Liverpool was all but finalized just a month ago. Everyone talked as though the agreement was about to happen, including the player, the club, and the agents.
Real Madrid are following Ibrahima Konaté closely
According to a report by Alberto Pereiro of Onda Cero, Florentino Pérez, the soon-to-be president of Real Madrid, has signed a deal with French center-back Ibrahima Konaté. The defender will become a Madridista after Pérez wins the next elections.
After his previous contract with Liverpool expired this summer, Konaté became a free agent. Although Madrid had been considering him for a while, it appeared that Los Blancos were prepared to move on and explore elsewhere. But according to AS, Real Madrid has made the decision to significantly bolster their defensive line, and Konaté may be the first of two potential additions for that position.
The French defender shouldn’t be regarded as a starter in the Spanish capital because he hasn’t shown anything in a long time. According to the Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Konate “could join” Real Madrid on a free transfer as they intend to “resume talks” with the France international. However, a return to France with Paris Saint-Germain is reportedly Konate’s “most likely destination” this summer, according to the Daily Mail.
