Ben Jacobs: Ibrahima Konate's future at Liverpool 'uncertain' as Real Madrid stand by for Bosman move
Liverpool lost Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid last summer, could Ibrahima Konate be next?
Jean-Marc Bosman has a lot to answer for. When the Belgian took to the courts to settle a contract dispute, he changed football forever.
Without question, the players all benefited from the ability to move freely between clubs once their contracts had expired, however, club managers, directors and owners might not be quite so enamoured by a ruling that has seen those who cross the white line earn more money than ever before. As Liverpool have benefited, so too have they lost out with Ibrahima Konate the latest player to take advantage.
Real Madrid wait in the wings for Ibrahima Konate
Bayern Munich have cooled their interest in Konate amid reports that Liverpool have made their most lucrative offer yet for the 26-year France international. According to Alex Crook at TalkSPORT, Real Madrid continue to monitor the situation and are primed and ready to pick up the pieces of the centre-half decides to leave Anfield: “Ibrahima Konate’s future at Liverpool remains uncertain. Konate’s current deal comes to an end this summer and he is yet to sign an extension.
Crook confirmed that talks with Liverpool are “ongoing” and that they remain keen to tie him down to a new deal despite some of his recent erratic performances and Arne Slot picking him out for being at fault on too many occasions this season. With Virgil van Dijk soon to turn 35, and both Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni yet to be tested at the highest level, the Liverpool hierarchy are keen to keep Konate as a relatively low risk option.
Has Konate already hinted at wanting an easier life?
What might be a factor for Konate is how hard he finds the Premier League. Speaking last season to Liverpool’s media team, he compared England’s top flight to the Bundesliga and it may be that he is looking for an easier time of it: “The Premier League, for me, is the hardest league in the world. Against every team it is so hard – I think this is a problem for everyone!
“You play every team and you don't have one game to relax. When I think about when I was in the Bundesliga or other leagues, you have some games where you will chill – but in the Premier League you have no time for this. You have to work and train and every time be focused because everything is so hard.” The weather is slightly better in Madrid too.