Atletico Madrid offer €40m for Liverpool first-team star

Liverpool and Atletico Madrid have been in contact this summer over a transfer for Andy Robertson. With Milos Kerkez arriving at the club from Bournemouth for £45m, it appears the Scotland international will only have limited opportunities next season.

The 31-year-old was reportedly open to the idea of joining Diego Simeone’s side - but the deal fell down when Atleti refused to pay an adequate some for the title-winning left-back.

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Now it’s been claimed that Atletico have been in touch over ANOTHER Liverpool star. This time it’s Ibrahima Konate with Simeone looking for a high-quality starting centre-back.

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Konate, 26, is out of contract in 2026 and right now it looks like he is leaning towards a free transfer. Liverpool have been unable to convince the France international to sign a new deal - at least not on terms he deems acceptable.

Konate out of contract in 2026

Atletico took their chance and made contact with the Frenchman, according to Defensa Central, but have been rebuffed in their efforts.

Although the Spanish capital club were willing to pay €40m for Konate, he wasn’t interested in a move to the Wanda Metropolitano.

Instead, it’s been claimed that Konate told Atletico he wanted a move across town to Real Madrid.

Atletico Madrid offered €40m for Konate

Right now it looks like the France international centre-back is going to follow Trent Alexander-Arnold’s lead. The England right-back ran down his Liverpool contract before securing a money-spinning deal with Madrid.

And the indications are now that Konate will do the same thing. He rejected Atletico Madrid because Real Madrid are the only club he'd leave Anfield for.

Konate not interested in Atletico Madrid

“Simeone has tried to sign Konaté in recent weeks, offering Liverpool 40 million euros for the transfer,” a report reads.

“However, the player has made it clear to Atlético that he's not interested, which is why they're pursuing Cuti Romero. The Frenchman told Atlético that if he left Liverpool, "I'll only go to Real Madrid," because otherwise he'd rather stay with the English club.”

Sporting director Richard Hughes will be powerless to prevent Konate seeing out his contract and moving on a free.

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So that means the Reds can either convince Konate to sign a new deal sometime in the near future or else sell to the one club the player wants to move to this summer - ensuring they do not lose out on a transfer fee.