Chelsea reach decision on signing Ibrahima Konate from Liverpool – Exclusive

Chelsea will not make an offer for Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate despite having monitored the France international’s situation closely, and TEAMtalk can reveal which two clubs are now in talks with the Frenchman.

Konate has been a player of interest to Chelsea heading into the summer transfer window, with the Blues keeping tabs on developments surrounding his future at Liverpool.

The prospect of signing a defender of Konate’s calibre without a transfer fee naturally held appeal, particularly after it became clear that the 27-year-old would be leaving Anfield following the breakdown of contract negotiations with the Merseyside giants.

Arne Slot’s dismissal had sparked speculation Konate could wind up staying, though reports have confirmed he’s very much still on the way out.

However, he won’t be heading to Stamford Bridge, with TEAMtalk able to confirm that Chelsea have now ruled out making a move for the centre-back.

Sources have informed TEAMtalk that the Blues have decided against submitting an offer for Konate, despite the fact he would be available on a free transfer.

DON’T MISS: Andoni Iraola to be named new Liverpool manager with two key reasons FSG decided to sack Slot

Why Chelsea won’t sign Ibrahima Konate

Any deal would still require a substantial financial commitment in terms of wages, signing-on fees and agent commissions, and Chelsea have opted not to pursue the opportunity.

With Chelsea out of the running, attention is now turning to the growing list of European giants tracking the Frenchman.

TEAMtalk understands that while Konate prepares to travel to north America with the France squad for the World Cup finals, his representatives have re-engaged in discussions with both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich regarding a potential move.

We can also reveal that contact has been made with Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona as Konate’s camp explores all available options ahead of a hugely significant decision on his future.

The race for his signature is not limited to Europe either.

Want more breaking news and transfer lines from original sources? Add TEAMtalk as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.

We can confirm that clubs from the Saudi Pro League have also made their interest known and would be willing to enter the conversation should Konate decide he is open to a move to the middle east.

At this stage, however, the defender’s priority remains assessing opportunities at the highest level of European football, with several elite clubs now positioning themselves for what has become one of the most significant free-agent battles of the summer.

READ NEXT: Liverpool reach decision on selling Florian Wirtz to Chelsea after Xabi Alonso ‘push’