Overview

• ESPN reporting carried by the BBC says Real Madrid are monitoring Ibrahima Konaté with a view to a 2026 free transfer, though club figures are divided on the move and will not speak to him before January 1.
• Intermediaries have informed Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City that Konaté could be available without a fee next summer, even as Liverpool continue efforts to secure a new deal.
• Fabrizio Romano says a renewal was close in late 2024 before talks changed course, with fresh attempts in August and the situation still described as “difficult.”
• Liverpool are evaluating centre-back options, with reports linking them to Barcelona’s Ronald Araújo (suggested €50–60m), Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi and Bayern’s Dayot Upamecano despite sizeable salary and clause demands.
• Squad depth concerns have intensified after 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni’s long-term injury, sharpening the club’s focus on defensive cover ahead of January.