Madrid Pulls Back on Konaté Bid as Liverpool Holds the Line and Upamecano Emerges as Back-Up
28 November 2025
Madrid Pulls Plug on Konaté Bid as Liverpool Stands Pat
Real Madrid has decided to withdraw from signing French defender Ibrahima Konaté from Liverpool in the upcoming winter window.
Konaté’s name had been linked to reinforcing Madrid’s back line, but his contract with Liverpool runs until summer 2026.
The Athletic reported that Madrid informed Liverpool it would not push ahead with a deal for the 26-year-old.
Instead, Madrid intends to explore internal options or other targets being tracked by the club.
Meanwhile, Konaté remains in discussions to renew his contract with Liverpool, after the club made a formal offer, with a final decision not yet made.
Konaté joined Liverpool in 2021 from RB Leipzig for 40 million euros.
As reported by L’Equipe, Liverpool is confident it can persuade Konaté to sign a new deal to stay at Anfield.
Konaté has spoken in the past, telling TF1 that the situation is difficult and nothing can be confirmed amid media speculation.
He denied rumors, saying he reads some reports and wonders aloud, “Oh dear, this stuff puts me in an awkward spot with Liverpool fans who don’t know all the details.”
He hopes the decision will be made soon, stressing that his happiness and that of his family is what matters most.
Some outlets speculated Madrid would not give up on Konaté after failing to land another French defender, Arsenal’s William Saliba, who recently extended his contract.
Konaté has collected five domestic trophies with Liverpool, including the Premier League title in the last season, the Carabao Cup in 2022 and 2024, the Community Shield in 2022, the FA Cup in 2022, and runner-up in the Champions League in 2022.
With the French national team, Konaté earned World Cup silver in 2022 in Qatar and bronze in the UEFA Nations League 2025.
French rivalries aside, Madrid’s aging center-backs push the club to add a defender, ideally on a free transfer.
Besides Madrid’s interest in Konaté, Liverpool reportedly remains firm, with FutMercato citing him as a pillar of the back line for years to come.
As a result, Madrid has been forced to explore alternative options, led by Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano, in case talks with Konaté collapse.
The report also notes Florentino Pérez has long admired Upamecano and sees him as ideal to reinforce the defense.
Upamecano’s contract runs out in June, and negotiations with Bayern Munich have stalled due to high salary demands, including a renewal bonus of 17 million euros.
The player and his agent are said to be asking for a huge salary and a 17 million euro renewal bonus, which clashes with Bayern’s policy.
Punchline 1: If Real Madrid’s transfer plan were a sniper routine, they’d shoot for a free target—but the budget keeps yanking the trigger before the bullet leaves the barrel.
Punchline 2: In football, even a legendary sniper would blink at deadline day when the price tag reads “free” but the paperwork isn’t. Net result: defense remains a work in progress and the coffee budget grows stronger every hour.
