Ibrahima Konate Future Takes New Twist After Real Madrid Abandon Liverpool Move

Ibrahima Konate could be set to join a surprise new club as Real Madrid have abandoned their planned move for the Liverpool defender.

Throughout Liverpool's title-winning Premier League campaign last season, much of the focus was on the contracts of star players Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of their expiration in the summer of 2025.

Although Van Dijk and Salah eventually extended their deals, Alexander-Arnold on a massively reduced fee, leading to some worries inside the club about the current deals of some of their other star players.

Among those believed to be at risk of leaving Liverpool at the end of their current deals is Konate, who has been strongly linked with Real Madrid ahead of his contract expiring in June.

However, after it was confirmed that the La Liga giants have now scrapped their plans to sign the Frenchman, a new club has emerged as a potential future destination for Konate.

Real Madrid have abandoned their plans to sign Konate. (Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Since the start of the 2025/26 season, it's seemed all but certain that Konate would join former teammate Alexander-Arnold at Real Madrid once his deal with Liverpool had ended.

However, in his final season with the Reds, Konate has suffered a drastic downturn in form, with many Liverpool fans calling for the France international to be dropped from the starting team.

And it appears that his poor form hasn't gone unnoticed, as transfer expert David Ornstein confirmed that Real Madrid have now informed Liverpool that they will not try to sign Konate in the near future.

Posting on X, Ornstein confirmed: "Real Madrid considered Ibrahima Konate but inform Liverpool they have no interest in signing France int’l. 26yo’s unresolved LFC contract situation could still go either way."

According to Fabrizio Romano, the option for Konate to stay at Liverpool beyond 2026 remains on the table, but a new report from Christian Falk Bayern Insider has claimed that Bayern Munich could be another potential option for the 26-year-old.

Konate is having a dreadful season for Liverpool. (Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

The report claims that Bayern Munich are currently monitoring Konate's situation as the consider various options as potential replacements for current defender Dayot Upamecano.

As it stands, Upamecano's deal with the German giants is set to expire in the summer and, although talks are said to be progressing about extending his contract, Bayern are preparing for the worst.

Should the 27-year-old decide not to stay with Bayern Munich then they could consider pursuing his countryman having already contacted Konate's representatives.

But Konate isn't the only centre-back that the Bundesliga winners are said to be considering, as Crystal Palace captain and Liverpool transfer target Marc Guehi is also on their radar.

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