Liverpool continue contract extension talks with Ibrahima Konate

English Premier League side Liverpool are pushing to secure the future of French-Malian defender Ibrahima Konate on a long-term deal.

According to The Athletic, negotiations between the Premier League champions and the 26-year-old have yet to produce a breakthrough.

Konaté’s current deal expires at the end of the season, which means he will be free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs from January.

The French international’s situation has attracted significant interest, with Real Madrid reportedly monitoring developments closely. The Spanish giants are said to be keen on signing Konaté on a free transfer, maintaining their recent trend of securing high-profile Bosman deals.

While L’Équipe previously suggested that Liverpool and Konaté were close to reaching an agreement, The Athletic now reports that no deal has been finalised.

Liverpool are eager to avoid another high-profile departure following Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free transfer to Real Madrid in the summer.

However, as contract talks continue without progress, concerns are growing that Konaté could follow a similar path when his deal expires.