Real Madrid target gives club hope by stalling renewal talks with Premier League giants | OneFootball

In what could turn out to be a major boost for Real Madrid, key 2026 target Ibrahima Konate is unhappy with Liverpool’s latest contract offer, according to recent reports from The Guardian.

The French defender has rejected the club’s first renewal proposal and is now stalling negotiations, opening the door for top European sides to make their move.

Konate, 26, enters the final year of his current deal next month, and while Liverpool are keen to keep him, their first offer appears to have fallen short.

The centre-back is said to be disappointed with the structure of the proposed terms, which rely heavily on performance-related bonuses rather than a solid base salary.

His representatives are understood to be pushing for a higher fixed wage, believing his role in the team justifies more guaranteed money.

Liverpool facing another free exit risk

This situation has alarmed Liverpool, especially in the wake of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s recent move to Real Madrid.

Konate has stalled contract talks with Liverpool. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

The English full-back departed on a cut-price €10 million fee, simply because the Spanish giants were eager to register him in time for the FIFA Club World Cup.

That deal was seen as a major financial miss for the Merseyside club, who fear a repeat scenario with Konate.

Should Liverpool fail to reach an agreement this summer, they would be left with a tricky decision: sell now for a reduced price or risk losing him for free.

However, the Premier League side remain reluctant to meet Konate’s wage demands, and plan to reopen discussions later this summer, rather than giving in now.

From Real Madrid’s perspective, this is a market opportunity too good to ignore. The Spanish champions are closely tracking Konate’s situation and, like they did with Alexander-Arnold, are prepared to play the long game.

Madrid see Konate as a perfect long-term addition to their backline and are willing to wait. For now, no formal approach has been made, but it is clear that the wheels are turning quietly behind the scenes.