Real Madrid Want to Sign Another Liverpool Star after Trent Alexander-Arnold – Report | OneFootball

Real Madrid Circling Liverpool Again: Konaté in Their Sights After Alexander-Arnold Exit

If Liverpool supporters felt the sting of losing Trent Alexander-Arnold for free to Real Madrid, there’s more troubling news emerging from Spain. According to a fresh report by Marca, the reigning European champions are monitoring Ibrahima Konaté’s contract situation closely, potentially plotting another free transfer raid on Anfield.

With Alexander-Arnold’s impending departure already confirmed—after choosing not to renew his contract beyond this season—Marca now reports that Konaté is among several high-profile players Real Madrid are keeping tabs on as part of their calculated free-agent recruitment strategy.

“Other names that have appeared on the Real Madrid horizon are Konaté and Saliba,” the report stated.

Photo: IMAGO

Konaté’s current deal runs until the summer of 2026, leaving Liverpool just over a year to secure an extension or risk losing a key defensive figure for nothing—an outcome fans and club executives alike will be desperate to avoid.

Free Transfer Strategy Becoming the Madrid Norm

This isn’t a one-off policy for Real Madrid. The club has built a reputation for snapping up world-class players at the end of their contracts, sidestepping massive transfer fees and instead offering appealing wage and signing-on packages. The likes of Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba, and now Kylian Mbappé have all made the move to the Bernabéu without a transfer fee changing hands.

“The Spanish club have become adept at snapping up players on Bosman deals,” noted Marca.

Madrid’s approach signals a wider shift in elite-level football. Clubs are now having to balance their wage structures while competing with richer state-backed clubs. In that environment, signing out-of-contract talent has become a strategic necessity rather than opportunistic poaching.

Konaté Contract Talks Yet to Progress

The situation at Liverpool is made more precarious by the fact that contract talks with Konaté have reportedly stalled. Although discussions are said to be ongoing, there’s been no breakthrough, giving suitors like Madrid reason to circle.

Konaté, 25, has established himself as one of the most talented defenders in Europe when fit. A composed presence with athletic prowess and high tactical awareness, his development under Klopp and now Arne Slot has been impressive. Losing him would be a major blow to a defensive unit that has already been reshaped by injuries and the gradual phase-out of Virgil van Dijk.

“The Frenchman has one year left on his current Liverpool deal, and the club are already in contract discussions with him.”

Photo: IMAGO

Liverpool’s Transfer History with Madrid Repeats Itself

Liverpool fans don’t need reminding of their difficult recent history with Madrid. Aside from painful losses in the 2018 and 2022 Champions League finals, they’ve seen key players like Michael Owen, Steve McManaman, and Xabi Alonso depart for the Spanish capital.

Now, with Alexander-Arnold gone and Konaté at risk, there’s growing unease that Madrid are again capitalising on Liverpool’s hesitancy or inefficiency in contract renewals.

Marca’s report concludes:

“But the two French internationals belong to that group of players that Real Madrid is monitoring and that are waiting for the end of their contracts to approach…”

Photo: IMAGO

That phrase—“waiting for the end of their contracts”—will strike fear into any Liverpool supporter who remembers the drawn-out sagas of Emre Can or Gini Wijnaldum.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

From a Liverpool fan’s perspective, this feels like déjà vu with added salt in the wound. Just when supporters had started to process the shock of losing Trent Alexander-Arnold on a free, we’re now being told that Konaté could be next. It’s unacceptable that a club of our stature—even with a new Premier League title under our belt—can’t tie down its core players in time.

This isn’t about money. It’s about intent, forward planning, and respecting what these players bring to the club. Trent has been at the heart of everything for years. Letting him go without a fight, only to see him head to a direct Champions League rival for free, was hard enough. If the same happens with Konaté, fans will be justified in asking what the club’s long-term recruitment and retention plan actually looks like.

Slot might have won the league in his first season, but you don’t stay on top by standing still—or worse, by bleeding talent to clubs like Madrid.

Liverpool must act now. Extend Konaté. Reinvest the identity of the club in long-term player loyalty. Or risk watching another key pillar of this team celebrate at the Bernabéu next season.