Fabrizio Romano confirms Liverpool contract offer to key star

Liverpool have got a contract problem to solve over Ibrahima Konate.

The Frenchman was signed by the Reds back in 2021 from RB Leipzig. He cost £35m - signing a five-year deal which expires in summer 2026.

Contract talks with the France international have dragged on for around a year and still no breakthrough is in sight.

This is a less than ideal situation for Richard Hughes - the Reds’ sporting director - who will not want to lose one of his starting centre-backs for nothing.

Konate, 26, established himself as one of the best defenders around last season - and even though his form has slipped of late he is still the preferred partner for Virgil van Dijk.

Konate linked with Anfield exit

We’ve seen reports that Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are all interested in adding the Frenchman on a free transfer at the end of the season.

And the stopper will be free to discuss terms with potentially interested overseas teams come January. That means Liverpool are running out of time to tie down their defensive lynchpin - with a contract offer currently sitting in front of him.

The club have extended a deal towards Konate - according to Fabrizio Romano - contradicting the player’s claims that no such offer had been received.

Romano confirms contract offer

But the Italian transfer supremo has claimed that Liverpool are waiting on a response from Konate to their latest offer.

“Look for Konate what we can say is that Liverpool and Konate agents remain in direct contact,” Romano tells his Here We Go podcast audience.

“So there is a conversation ongoing.

“Liverpool made their proposal to Konate. So there is a proposal on the table to extend the contract to basically sign a new deal with Liverpool.

“There is a negotiation ongoing. Now it is on Konate to decide whether he wants to continue at the club or if he wants to try a new chapter and move probably out of England and try something different.

“We know about the interest of Real Madrid, for sure. Real Madrid remain interested in Konate but Liverpool presented their proposal on the table. So now it’s the player who has to decided what they want to do.”

Liverpool could bring in a new centre-back

It’s been reported that Konate will require a significant rise from his current £140k per week contract in order to renew.

And if the Reds fail to meet those demands then we could see a move for another defender in the shape of Marc Guehi, Goncalo Inacio or Nico Schlotterbeck.

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