Centre-back injury threatens Ibrahima Konate contract deal

It’s been a few weeks since Ibrahima Konate announced he was close to renewing his Liverpool contract.

In talks for a new deal with sporting director Richard Hughes for well over a year the Frenchman was assumed to be inching ever closer to an extension.

With his original deal - signed back in 2021 - due to expire in summer 2026 there was a very real risk that the Premier League champions would lose him for nothing.

And having watched the France international excel in the 2024/25 Premier League title win that would of course have been a very bitter blow.

But there has been still no official word on Konate’s new deal - with his previous terms worth a reported £140k per week.

Eder Militao injured

A few different reasons have been offered for the delay - most recently reported a Paris Saint-Germain-specific release clause.

And Liverpool bosses could be forgiven for being a little jittery at this stage - with the deal unsigned and Real Madrid potentially coming back into the picture.

Eder Militao, 28, was injured during a recent LaLiga game against Alaves and is set for an extended spell on the sidelines. The Brazilian is going to miss the FIFA World Cup with a hamstring injury that requires surgery.

And a Madrid decision-making faculty that was already considering a centre-back signing is now doubling its money.

That’s according to a report in Defensa Central - which claims the 15-time European champions now want two centre-back signings this summer with Konate’s name back in fashion.

Konate back in fashion for Madrid

“Influential voices at Valdebebas are beginning to believe they are obliged to sign two center-backs,” the report reads.

“Names like Nico Schlotterbeck, Ibrahima Konaté, and Jacobo Ramón are frequently mentioned as potential reinforcements for the defense of the squad currently managed by Álvaro Arbeloa.”

Konate was very much of interest to the Spanish capital side given his availability as a free transfer earlier in the season. However the trail went cold over the centre-back’s form - as well as a reported excessive salary and bonus request.

“However, none of them have fully convinced the club's management,” the report reads - emphasising that none of the named targets truly fit the bill.

But needs must for Madrid right now given the Militao injury as well as the necessity to replace the outbound David Alaba. It looks like Raul Asencio will be leaving the Bernabeu too and it all leads to Konate being back on the menu.

He may not be “Mr Right” for Real Madrid but since he’s not yet agreed his new Liverpool package he could be “Mr Right Now”.

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