'P*ssed off' Reds chiefs fear second star to join Real Madrid amid 'similar behaviours' to TAA

Liverpool chiefs are ‘p*ssed off’ as they fear Ibrahima Konate will follow Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid as the centre-back displays ‘similar behaviours’.

Alexander-Arnold is off to Madrid this summer on a free transfer after Liverpool failed to agree an extension with the England international and are now concerned that Konate will do the same.

The France international has enjoyed an excellent season at the heart of Arne Slot’s defence alongside Virgil Van Dijk, playing a major role in them cruising to the Premier League title.

With his contract expiring at the end of next season, sporting director Richard Hughes has been working on fresh terms for Konate, who currently earns £70,000 per week, but reports suggest little to no progress has been made.

Konate’s representatives have reportedly been pushing for £200,000 per week, but the growing fear at Liverpool is that the 25-year-old has no interest in signing any deal and will look to run down his contract before receiving a huge salary at Real Madrid for the 2026/2027 season and beyond.

Spanish outlet Marca claim Liverpool are ‘p*ssed off’ at the prospect of again not receiving a fee for one of their star players, with Konate valued at £50m by Transfermarkt.

It’s claimed they are ‘experiencing a very strange sensation’ and ‘begin to detect ghosts very similar to those they felt just a year ago, when Alexander Arnold began to turn his back on the proposals to expand their connection’.

Liverpool are aware of Real Madrid’s interest in Konate, and so too does the player himself it seems, as the centre-back is displaying ‘similar behaviours’ to those shown by Alexander-Arnold.

Konate has been ‘marked in red’ by Madrid – i.e. they want him – who have become experts in signing players for nothing in recent years, with David Alaba, Antonio Rudiger and, most famously, Kylian Mbappe signed at the end of their contracts with previous clubs.

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Finance expert Stefan Borson told Football Insider that Liverpool are playing a “very dangerous” game letting key players run their contracts down into the final year.

He said: “I think it’s a very dangerous game to play to allow major players to go into the last year of their contract if they’re of an age where you definitely want to sign them up for three or four years more.

“Konate is only 26 at the end of May, but he’s coming into his prime, particularly for a central defender. They are not going to want to lose him on a free.

“They will be fully aware that Real Madrid are getting very accomplished now at taking these players on free transfers.

“They have done it for a long time and used the benefit and the scale of the club as a recruitment tool that pretty much nobody else in world football can compete with. I do think there is some risk if they’re interested in the player.

“A lot of these rumours that have started have turned out to be true when they’ve gone after these players. The Alexander-Arnold story was out there last year that they were looking to make him a free transfer.

“It was true, so I think Liverpool will be pretty cautious and will try to nail the player down much earlier than they did with Salah and Van Dijk.”

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