Report: Liverpool swap deal could hand Ibrahima Konate to Real Madrid…

Report: A potential swap deal could see Ibrahima Konate move from Liverpool to Real Madrid.

Liverpool is currently dealing with contract uncertainties regarding Ibrahima Konate.

The centre-back’s contract runs until 2026, and thus far, the club has struggled to persuade Konate to extend his stay.

Having joined Liverpool in 2021, the 26-year-old has formed a formidable partnership with Virgil van Dijk, contributing to their Premier League title win last season.

However, this partnership may be at risk if the Reds cannot secure new terms with the French international, with Real Madrid lurking in the background.

The 15-time European champions have a track record of acquiring top-tier free agents in recent years, although they did pay £10 million for Trent Alexander-Arnold last summer.

Konate is certainly on the radar of Los Blancos, who are expected to part ways with both David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger by the summer of 2026.

As a sought-after centre-back, there is growing optimism in Madrid that a deal could materialize.

Defensa Central reports that a swap deal is effectively in place, allowing Konate to join the Bernabeu as a free agent.

The Spanish outlet also mentions that Liverpool will make another effort to negotiate a new contract with Konate in the coming months.

However, it suggests that Konate is likely to depart at the end of this season, creating a significant gap in Liverpool’s defensive lineup.

Liverpool is looking to recruit Guehi as a replacement.

Who might fill his shoes? The same report indicates that Marc Guehi is a target.

Liverpool nearly secured the Crystal Palace captain at the end of the summer transfer window, but the FA Cup holders ultimately decided against the move.

Guehi is also out of contract in 2026, and the Reds are optimistic that he will prefer Anfield over other potential destinations, making this a potentially fee-free transfer situation.

Liverpool will lose Konate, who was acquired for £35m from RB Leipzig, without receiving any compensation. However, they will be allowed to sign a replacement on a free transfer, specifically Guehi.

Could Madrid consider pursuing Guehi instead?

The team that suffers the most in this situation is Palace. They find themselves at the bottom of the hierarchy and will need to invest in a replacement for their England international.

Interestingly, the report mentions that Guehi is among the options Madrid is considering in the event that Konate stays at Merseyside or agrees to a deal elsewhere.

This could imply that the transfer of Konate to Madrid is not as certain as the Madrid media suggests, and the Reds might still engage in a productive contract negotiation with the French giant.