Aurelien Tchouameni speaks to Xabi Alonso after learning Ibrahima Konate Liverpool ‘bombshell’ as ‘never convinced’ claim emerges – report

Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni has made it clear to manager Xabi Alonso that he does not want to play as a centre-back if Ibrahima Konate joins, according to a report, which has also revealed the role that the midfielder and his Los Blancos team-mate Kylian Mbappe have played in convincing the Liverpool defender to move to Anfield.

Konate is out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the season, with Real Madrid keen on snapping up the France international central defender on a free transfer. Konate has already turned down three offers of a new deal from the defending Premier League champions, who, though, remain hopeful of convincing the 26-year-old to extend his stay at Anfield.

The Spanish media, though, are adamant that Konate will leave Liverpool for Madrid next summer and join Alonso’s team as a free agent.

There have been suggestions that Konate already has a ‘preliminary agreement’ with Real Madrid over a contract until 2031, with Fichajes dropping the ‘bombshell’ report this week that an ‘agreement in principle’ is already in place between the two parties.

Although The Daily Mail’s Lewis Steele has not been that bold in this reporting on Konate’s situation, he has claimed that Real Madrid believe that they are close to reaching an agreement with the defender over a free transfer.

E-Noticies has revealed how Tchouameni feels after learning that Konate is on his way to the Santiago Bernabeu.

The France international has ‘already commented internally’, possibly to Madrid manager Xabi Alonso, that ‘he should not play as a central defender again’.

Tchouameni is a midfielder by trade, but injuries forced then-Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti to play him in central defence last season.

The 25-year-old made 25 appearances as a centre-back for Los Blancos in the 2024/25 campaign, with many of his performances, especially in the first half of the season, booed by the Santiago Bernabeu.

Tchouameni eventually won over the Real Madrid fans, but, according to E-Noticies, playing as a centre-back ‘has never convinced him’.

However, the midfielder did have to drop into centre-back on Saturday afternoon during Real Madrid’s 2-1 win against Real Sociedad in LaLiga.

Dean Huijsen was sent off in the 32nd minute at Estadio Municipal de Anoeta, which forced Alonso to move Tchouameni from midfield to defence.

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Tchouameni and Mbappe role in Ibrahima Konate decision

According to E-Noticies, Tchouameni spoke to Konate to convince him to turn down the chance to stay at Liverpool and move to Real Madrid next summer.

Tchouameni plays with Konate for the France national football team, and so does Real Madrid striker Mbappe.

The ‘work’ of Mbappe and Tchouameni’s ‘work’ has pushed Konate ‘towards this decision’ to join Madrid, with the two stars ‘decisive’ in persuading him.

Konate himself joked over the international break that Mbappe has been calling him a lot to move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

During an interview with French TV channel TF1, Konate jokingly said about Mbappe: “He calls me every two hours! No, no, no.”

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