Ibrahima Konaté is entering the final year of his Liverpool contract, and with no extension in place, his future at Anfield remains uncertain.
Reports suggest PSG and Real Madrid are keeping a close eye on the situation and could make a move if contract talks don’t progress before the January transfer window.
According to Foot Mercato, Konaté has been offered to several top European clubs, including PSG, Real Madrid, and Barcelona. Nonetheless, Liverpool decided to hold onto the player despite the interest from abroad.
The timing adds pressure for Liverpool, with uncertainty over a key defender coming just as the club aims to maintain stability amid a demanding season.
The prospect of signing Konaté with one year remaining on his Liverpool contract was especially appealing to Luis Campos, but not to Luis Enrique. The decision may come as a surprise, particularly since Konaté is expected to join Real Madrid on a free transfer next year.
In a Q&A with Le Parisien, Dominique Sévérac explains that PSG’s coach made a clear, decisive choice, believing the French international would not reach the level that the Ukrainian player is projected to achieve in the coming years.
“These are technical decisions, about potential for growth,” Sévérac wrote (h/t Foot01). “Luis Enrique believes [Illia] Zabarnyi is more compatible with PSG, more compatible with Luis Enrique, than Konaté. This is where you have to be very specialist or really understand his thinking, because I, like you, think Konaté would have been an excellent choice.
“But he would have refused to come, knowing that this is about preparing for life after Marquinhos. Zabarnyi is willing, for now, to be the backup. Konaté, with his status, couldn’t have remained in the shadows. If you come from Bournemouth, you can accept being a substitute in big matches. Not if you come from Liverpool.”
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