Liverpool ‘urgency growing’ after learning Ibrahima Konate ‘agreement’ with Real Madrid – report

The ‘urgency’ at Liverpool to sell Ibrahima Konate before the summer transfer window closes is ‘growing’ amid strong interest from Real Madrid, according to a Spanish report, as Matt Le Tissier reacts to Jamie Carragher’s stinging criticism of the defender’s performance against Bournemouth on Friday night.

Konate has been on the books of Liverpool since the summer of 2021 and has developed to establish himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet. Under manager Arne Slot, Konate starts alongside Virgil van Dijk in central defence when he is fit and available.

The 26-year-old’s future, though, is uncertain, with Konate out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the season and yet to sign a new deal.

Well-connected journalists, such as Fabrizio Romano and David Lynch, have stressed that Konate could still sign a new contract, but the Spanish media continue to insist that the France international has made up his mind about a potential move to Madrid.

AS has reported that Konate has ‘already given his approval to Real Madrid’ and is willing to join this summer or next.

Another well-connected Spanish publication, Marca, has noted that Los Blancos have made new signing Franco Mastantuono part of Real Madrid Castilla for the time being and have kept a place free in the first-team squad for Konate should Liverpool decide to sell the defender before the summer transfer window slams shut on September 1.

There have been reports that Liverpool are willing to sell Konate for £35m (€40.5m, $47.4m) before the window closes if he does not sign a new deal, with the defender demanding a weekly salary of £200,000 per week.

Defensa Central has maintained the narrative of the Spanish press and has reported that Liverpool are increasingly concerned that they will have to sell Konate this summer.

The Real Madrid-centric website has claimed that ‘the top brass’ at Liverpool ‘believe’ that Madrid ‘have reached an unofficial agreement’ with Konate that would see him move to the Santiago Bernabeu as a free agent next summer.

‘’Therefore, the urgency of selling him in the next three weeks, before the end of the current summer transfer window, is growing’, states the report.

AS reported on July 15 that Liverpool want €50m (£43.2m, $58.5m) for Konate, and Defensa Central claims that remains the case, adding that Madrid are not willing to pay that much for the Frenchman.

The report has added that should Liverpool eventually decide to put Konate on the market, Madrid chief scout Juni Calafat is ready to fly to England to thrash out a deal with Liverpool and stop Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea from signing him.

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Ibrahima Konate criticised for Liverpool display against Bournemouth

Despite speculation on his future, Konate started for Liverpool against Bournemouth at Anfield in the Premier League on Friday evening.

Liverpool won the match 4-2, but former Anfield star Jamie Carragher was not impressed with the performance of Konate in central defence.

Konate struggled for pace for Antoine Semenyo’s second goal, and his overall performance in the match left Carragher hugely disappointed.

The former Liverpool defender said on Sky Sports during the live commentary: “They’re under real pressure, it feels like a goal is coming. I mean Konate’s positional play is all over the place.

“He has no idea where the Bournemouth attacking player is, the one initially before he wasn’t in the right position.

“Positional-wise, he’s all over the place. Bournemouth are right at the two centre-backs.. look at the amount of bodies going forward to Liverpool, there’s seven or eight players ahead of the ball.

“He’s running at the defence, they don’t know what to do, again, what is Konate doing? He has been absolutely shocking tonight.”

After the match, Carragher noted: “It is unbelievable. Arne Slot’s made those changes to make sure things like this don’t happen. Fantastic from Semenyo – but Liverpool have had this problem.

“How many players were ahead of the ball – maybe eight players – when they were winning 2-1? That can’t happen. It’s absolutely shocking at this level.

“For Semenyo to run that far and get his shot away is incredible – but where Konate is going? He had a really, really poor night tonight at centre-back.

“That is not right. It’s not. It’s not only game on top of the Community Shield – but I’ve watched enough football in my life. This idea that everyone bombs forward, it’s not for me. I don’t like it.

“At no time last week in the Community Shield did I ever feel Liverpool were in control of the game. You can draw 2-2 with Palace, that can happen.

“But it’s how easy Crystal Palace could get at Liverpool, how easy it was tonight. In the first half, Bournemouth should have been at least 2-0 up at one stage.

“There is definitely a problem that Arne Slot has to solve. People say ‘they need a centre-back’. A centre-back doesn’t fix that. He just takes Konate’s place.

“It’s about the make-up of the team with two attacking full-backs and a number ten who is more interested in getting on the ball than defending like Szoboszlai was last season. If Liverpool continue like that, I don’t think they will win the league.”

Former Southampton star Matt Le Tissier, though, was more tempered in his criticism of Konate.

Le Tissier told Football Insider: “Ibrahima Konate’s performance last night was an interesting one. Not one of his better games for Liverpool.

“He was slammed by the commentator [Jamie Carragher] during the game.

“I think we’ve got to cut the boy a little bit of slack. It’s the first game of the season, it’s pretty early to be jumping on his case.”

Le Tissier added: “I know that he’s only got a year left of his contract at Liverpool, he doesn’t look like he’s going to be signing another one.

“When you’re in that situation there’s always going to be criticism about whether you’re fully committed to that club because you feel like you’re leaving at the end of that season.”

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