Kylian Mbappé’s relentless phone calls are adding fresh heat to Ibrahima Konaté’s unresolved Liverpool contract saga, with Real Madrid watching closely and ready to pounce if talks remain stuck past January. The France defender joked he’s fielding calls ‘every two hours’ from Mbappé, as an unsettled extension, which runs to June 2026, invites interest from Europe’s elite.
Contract talks stall as interest grows
Konaté is in the final stretch of his Liverpool deal and has yet to agree new terms, elevating the stakes ahead of the winter window and opening a path for suitors led by Real Madrid. He currently earns around £70,000 per week and is seeking a package near £200,000 per week, a leap that has so far proven a sticking point in negotiations.
Liverpool, for their part, have signalled they will not “beg” in talks, a posture that reflects confidence in their position even as Europe’s top clubs monitor the stalemate.
Mbappé’s push and Madrid’s plan
Konaté’s lighthearted admission, ‘He’s calling me every two hours’, has given the story a human twist, yet the backdrop is serious. Real Madrid’s track record and planning for 2026 make a potential free transfer alluring, with coverage noting their success with Bosman moves and continued defensive refresh.
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Fabrizio Romano reports that Madrid’s recruitment apparatus is attentive to the evolving situation, as speculation builds over whether an earlier solution could emerge if Liverpool choose to sell rather than risk losing him for nothing later on. Talk of a notional January move has surfaced in the wider discussion, framed against an estimated market valuation between £40 and £50 million.
Liverpool weighs replacements and risk
Liverpool are preparing for all outcomes, re-engaging targets and reinforcing youth pathways to protect the defence if Konaté departs. The club pursued Marc Guehi before deadline day and retain an interest, a thread that also intersects with Madrid’s longer term defensive planning, intensifying competition for the England international.
With the memory of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free transfer to Madrid still fresh, the champions face a familiar fork. They can meet a higher guaranteed salary for a key starter or sanction a sale and recycle funds into the backline before leverage erodes further.
