‘Liverpool Defender Ibrahima Konate Agrees Real Madrid Move On Free Transfer’

French defender Ibrahima Konate is set to join Real Madrid after reaching a verbal agreement on a four-year contract with the Spanish giants following his departure from Liverpool.

Naija News reports that Ibrahima Konate, 27, confirmed over the weekend that he would leave Anfield when his contract expires at the end of June, bringing an end to a successful five-year spell on Merseyside.

Konate had been in talks over a new deal with Liverpool, but negotiations reportedly broke down because of differences over his valuation and salary expectations.

The centre-back leaves having made 183 appearances and helped the club win the Premier League, FA Cup and two League Cups after arriving from RB Leipzig in a £35 million move in 2021.

Daily Telegraph reports that Konate has already agreed personal terms with Real Madrid and will officially sign his contract once the club’s presidential elections are concluded this weekend. The deal is expected to run for four years, with an option for a further 12 months.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is understood to have played a key role in securing the agreement, while incoming manager Jose Mourinho has reportedly approved the move as part of plans to strengthen the club’s defence.

Konate is said to have attracted interest from several leading European clubs, including Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, while clubs from Saudi Arabia also explored a possible move. However, the defender opted for a switch to the Santiago Bernabeu.

The French international is expected to add depth and experience to a defensive unit that has faced injury concerns in recent seasons.

With questions remaining over the futures of David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger, Real Madrid views Konate as a key addition alongside Eder Militao, Dean Huijsen and Raul Asencio.

If completed, the transfer will make Konate the second player in successive summers to leave Liverpool for Real Madrid without a transfer fee, following the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold.