Real Madrid have “directly and unequivocally” informed Liverpool that they have no intention of signing Ibrahima Konaté at any point in 2026, a new report has sensationally claimed.
The French centre back has long been billed as a leading target for the Spanish giants. A regular international in his prime at 26, Konaté is approaching the final six months of his deal at Liverpool, and would be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with a non-English club as soon as Jan. 1. Talks over fresh terms at Anfield are yet to produce any concrete agreements.
Madrid have made a habit of poaching the best of the free agent market—as Liverpool found out first hand through Trent Alexander-Arnold’s exit last summer. Kylian Mbappé, Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba have all arrived via this cost-saving avenue but Konaté is not expected to be the next name on that list.
In the face of such rampant speculation, Real Madrid cut through the noise, reaching out to their Liverpool counterparts to make it abundantly clear that they will not pursue Konaté, according to The Athletic.
The reason for this firm stance was not reported. However, there are some obvious explanations.
Liverpool pick up their fourth consecutive loss in all competitions. Arne Slots second season syndrome is hitting hard. pic.twitter.com/rD2CV6uVcf
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) November 26, 2025
Much like many of his Liverpool teammates, Konaté has been living a waking nightmare for much of the current campaign. The imperious operator from last season’s Premier League title triumph has been replaced by a bumbling mess. Even as Liverpool began the campaign with a run of seven straight victories, Konaté rarely offered any sense of reassurance alongside Virgil van Dijk, who has endured struggles of his own.
With the notable exception of a commanding muzzling of Arsenal’s Viktor Gyökeres, Liverpool’s No. 5 has largely been defending with all the authority of a security guard at the Louvre.
Konaté’s performances—which reached a new nadir in the midweek thumping to PSV Eindhoven—have even prompted a rare public statement from the normally restrained defender.
Konaté: We’ll Come Through This Storm
Arne Slot has taken a defiant tone when faced with Liverpool’s dire run of form and that stance was echoed by one of his squad’s most disappointing performers.
“We have to take this moment on the chest,” Konaté wrote on Instagram after spending much of Wednesday’s 4–1 thrashing at the hands of PSV veering around Anfield in circles like a shopping trolley with a broken wheel. “Criticism is part of football, and we’ll fight back every time and come through this storm.
“In these moments, the fans matter most. The ones who stand with us in the good times and the bad, the ones who sing for us even in the difficult moments. Your voice and your support mean everything to us. We know we need to improve and we’ll keep fighting for you. Always.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Unequivocally’—Real Madrid’s Stance on Ibrahima Konate Revealed After Rare Statement.
