Real Madrid is actively seeking a new central defender for the upcoming summer transfer window to fill the void left by David Alaba. Despite facing numerous rejections in their pursuit, Los Blancos may now be close to securing one of their initial primary targets.
As early as last summer, Real Madrid expressed significant interest in Ibrahima Konate. The Liverpool defender was identified as their top priority for the current summer, anticipating his availability as a free agent.
Real Madrid has a proven track record of successfully utilizing the free agent market, having signed players like Antonio Rudiger, Kylian Mbappe, and Trent Alexander-Arnold in the past. Konate could be their next acquisition, as he has re-entered their transfer plans in recent months, following an initial deal being ruled out in November.
However, recent reports indicated that Konate was on the verge of signing a new contract with Liverpool, which would have thwarted Real Madrid’s strategy to acquire him on a free transfer. Fortunately for the Madrid-based club, this situation appears to have changed. According to Ben Jacobs, the 27-year-old is highly likely to depart Anfield at the end of next month when his current contract expires.
New Manager’s Approval Needed for Konate Deal
A considerable gap remains between Konate and Liverpool in their contract discussions. With only a month left until his current deal concludes, and his participation in the upcoming World Cup making further negotiations difficult, it is anticipated that no agreement will be reached before the beginning of July.
This scenario could present Real Madrid with an opportunity to sign their desired player. Nevertheless, the ultimate decision would rest with their next head coach, who could be Jose Mourinho if Florentino Perez is successful in the upcoming presidential elections.
