Liverpool star 'outraged' by transfer development after 'drastic turn in a matter of hours'

Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate is no longer at the top of Real Madrid’s shopping list, reports suggest.

The centre-back sees his Anfield contract expire at the end of the season. Konate was Virgil van Dijk’s regular partner to help the Reds win the Premier League title last campaign and has remained first choice so far this term despite delivering mixed performances.

However, there has been little development in the way of extending his future on Merseyside. Konate has been heavily linked with leaving on a free transfer in the summer and moving to Real Madrid. The Spanish superpowers are looking to rebuild their defence with Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba’s respective deals coming to a conclusion.

Yet according to publication E-Noticies, Konate is not Real’s priority. Instead, it is suggested that his France team-mate Deyot Upamecano is Madrid’s ideal target after a ‘drastic turn in a matter of hours’. Upamecano sees his contract at Bayern Munich expire at the end of 2025-26 and he has still to commit his future.

It is suggested that Madrid are willing to hand Upamecano a signing-on fee of around £17.4 million (20 million euros) to move to the Santiago Bernabeu. As a result, it is claimed that Konate feels ‘betrayed’ and is ‘outraged’ by the development, having been ‘convinced’ he would make the switch to Real where he would unite with fellow Frenchman Kylian Mbappe. Head coach Xabi Alonso had reportedly given the green light to sign Konate and it is claimed that the former Red Bull Leipzig man has been taking Spanish lessons.

What has been said on Ibrahima Konate’s future?

Konate, who could miss Sunday’s clash against Manchester United because of a quad injury, spoke about his contract after Liverpool lifted the Premier League on the final day of last season.

"I just want to say one thing: everything you saw on social media is completely fake. I didn't even ask for something from the club,” he said. “They made me an offer, and I replied to them with something, that is it. The rest, that I want to wait until the end [of his contract], all of it is completely fake.

“In November, it was claimed I am very close to signing the deal. I was like, 'ah, they have more information than me' because it was not true at that moment and that is why I was a little bit mad. I knew at one moment people would think I didn't want to sign the contract but I was never close to signing it. We will see what will happens."

Regardless of Konate’s future, Liverpool will be in the market for a new centre-back next summer. In the most recent transfer window, the Reds had the pull plugged on a deal to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace for £35 million. Guehi’s contract at Palace runs out at the end of the season but the England international’s situation means he reportedly has plenty of suitors in the race to sign him on a free transfer. The likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid have been linked.