Ibrahima Konaté is close to agreeing to a four-year contract with Real Madrid following his departure from Liverpool at the end of the 2025/26 season. The 27-year-old center-back left Liverpool after failing to agree on a contract extension due to disagreements over wages and his value to the club [1, 2].
Konaté joined Liverpool in 2021 from RB Leipzig for a fee of £35 million. He made 183 appearances for the Reds, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and two League Cups during his five-year spell [1, 2].
Real Madrid were the first club to approach Konaté once it became clear he would be available on a free transfer in June. Other interested parties included Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and some Saudi Arabian clubs, but Madrid appear to be leading the race [2].
Konaté is expected to join a group of French teammates at Real Madrid including Kylian Mbappé, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga, and Ferland Mendy, strengthening the club’s French contingent [2].
The transfer is planned to be finalized by November 2026, ahead of Konaté’s participation in the World Cup with France [2].
