Real Madrid are now actively pursuing a deal for Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate, according to a reliable journalist, as a former Everton official takes a swipe at the Frenchman.<\/p>\n
Multiple reliable sources, including The Daily Mail journalist Lewis Steele, reported in December 2025 that Real Madrid<\/a> had decided to end their pursuit of Konate, who is out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the season.<\/p>\n However, the situation has dramatically changed now, with ESPN reporting this month that Real Madrid are back in for Konate<\/a> and are keen to snap him up on a free transfer.<\/p>\n It will not be straightforward, though, as Liverpool<\/a> are still trying to convince the France international centre-back to put pen to paper on the dotted line.<\/p>\n Madrid also need Konate<\/a> to be realistic about his demands to complete a move to Estadio Bernabeu in the summer of 2026.<\/p>\n Reliable journalist\u00a0Matteo Morreto has now reported on Radio Marca<\/a> that Madrid have made contact with Konate and have asked him about his situation, as relayed by Madrid Xtra<\/a> and reported on X by the reporter himself.<\/p>\n Given that Konate will become a free agent in the summer of 2026, he is allowed to speak to clubs outside the Premier League, such as Madrid.<\/p>\n Real Madrid journalist Ramon Alvarez de Mon has responded to the latest development on Konate\u2019s future by noting that Madrid made a similar U-turn over Antonio Rudiger before eventually landing him after his contract with Chelsea ran out.<\/p>\n The journalist wrote on X at 5:39pm on February 6: \u201cAt the time, I mentioned to you that they never officially closed the Konate matter for me.<\/p>\n \u201cMadrid already did something similar in the past with Rudiger: he was \u2018ruled out\/ in January and signed in April. We\u2019ll see what happens with Konate.\u201d<\/p>\n Want more breaking transfer lines from original sources? Add TEAMtalk\u00a0as a preferred source on Google\u00a0<\/a>to your favourites list for news you can trust.<\/p>\n Keith Wyness takes Ibrahima Konate dig<\/p>\n As Madrid make a U-turn on their stance on Konate, former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness has taken a swipe at the Liverpool defender.<\/p>\n While analysing Liverpool\u2019s decision sign Jeremy Jacquet, who will join the defending Premier League champions from Rennes in the summer of 2026, Wyness has noted that Konate is coming into form with just months left on his deal.<\/p>\n Wyness told Football Insider\u2018s Inside Track podcast:\u00a0\u201cDo they need him [Jacquet] right now?\u00a0I think that they\u2019re happy with\u00a0Konate at the moment.\u00a0He\u2019s\u00a0come back into a bit of form.<\/p>\n \u201cHe had a poor start to the season, but he does seem to be coming back into form as he is coming towards his free agent situation. So, you know, surprise, surprise.<\/p>\n Players\u00a0coming\u00a0into form as they come towards the end of their\u00a0contract,\u00a0and they need a move. Isn\u2019t that a novelty that\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0never seen before?<\/p>\n \u201cSo, you know, I think that Liverpool right now with\u00a0Konate,\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0okay.\u00a0I think\u00a0they\u2019ve\u00a0almost resigned themselves also to the fact that\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0going to be just within the five places for the Champions League.<\/p>\n \u201c hey\u2019re going to make it into Champions League, but\u00a0really\u00a0they\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0have to push on much further than that.<\/p>\n \u201cSo\u00a0I think\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0almost resigned to that\u00a0fact,\u00a0and\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0going to settle with the squad and then come in with Jacquet\u00a0next year and make things fresh and move on.\u201d<\/p>\n Get the inside story first by joining our\u00a0TEAMtalk Facebook channel<\/a>\u00a0to receive the latest breaking and exclusive news straight into your Messenger inbox.<\/p>\n Latest Real Madrid and Liverpool transfer news<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Real Madrid are said to be \u2018considering\u2019 selling a star defender to Manchester United, with the Red Devils having made an offer for him already.<\/p>\n Liverpool are said to be ready to send a star midfielder to Real Madrid<\/a> in exchange for a French star.<\/p>\n Our transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, has reported Sandro Tonali\u2019s potential next destination, amid interest from Liverpool<\/a>.<\/p>\n