Liverpool star 'wants Real Madrid transfer' as Arne Slot slapped with brutal repeat

Liverpool boss Arne Slot is reportedly facing the possibility of losing Ibrahima Konate to Real Madrid next summer. The Reds are still reeling from the saga which saw Trent Alexander-Arnold jump ship to the Bernabeu at the end of last season. He decided against signing a new contract at Anfield, which allowed Real Madrid to swoop.

They were initially expected to land Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer upon the expiry of his Liverpool contract. However, they ended up paying a £10million fee to secure his services ahead of the Club World Cup. Now, it seems Liverpool are facing a repeat of the same situation with another key player.

Konate is warming to the idea of joining Real Madrid after a breakdown in talks over a contract extension, according to Foot Mercato. The defender is said to be 'keen on a new challenge' and would reportedly favour a move to the Spanish capital.

The report adds that Konate's representatives have already offered him to Real Madrid, in addition to PSG and several other clubs. Liverpool have been speaking to the Frenchman about a potential new contract but those negotiations are said to have stalled.

The situation is thought to be 'slipping away' from Liverpool, with Konate 'heading more towards a departure' in the summer of 2026. Real Madrid are named as the 'main interested party' but only time will tell if they manage to pull off a move.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Konate was 'disappointed' with the terms of Liverpool's latest proposal. His agents were said to have been pushing for a higher base salary instead of the performance-related package that was offered.

Konate opened up on his future last month, saying: "You know, I just want to say one thing. Everything you saw on social media is completely fake. I didn't even ask for something from the club.

"They made me an offer, and I replied to them with something, that is it. The rest (speculation) that I want to wait until the end... I want this, all of it is completely fake. And even the big journalists said in November I am very close to signing the deal.

"I was like: 'Ah, they have more information than me?'. It was not true at that moment and that is why I was a little bit mad because it was not true at this moment.

"I knew at one moment people would think I didn't want to sign the contract but I was never close to signing it. We will see what will happen."