Report: Chelsea table €50m bid for Liverpool defender | OneFootball

Chelsea’s €50m Push for Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté

According to DefensaCentral, Chelsea have stepped up their transfer activity with a bold €50 million offer for Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konaté. This move comes in response to the serious injury suffered by Levi Colwill, a key figure in Enzo Maresca’s defensive plans.

The report states: “Chelsea are manoeuvring to subtract a very important player from the Merengue squad” – a reference to Real Madrid’s own pursuit of the Frenchman.

Real Madrid’s Interest in Konaté

Real Madrid, under Xabi Alonso’s guidance, have made Konaté their top centre-back target for next summer. DefensaCentral note that the Spanish giants are keen on securing the Liverpool number five as a free agent, believing this would be a “prime position on the roadmap” for their 2026 plans.

With players like Franco Mastantuono, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Álvaro Carreras, and Dean Huijsen already on their books from this summer, Konaté represents a defensive cornerstone who could anchor Madrid’s backline for years. Crucially, this would come without any transfer fee, making him an attractive long-term investment.

Liverpool’s Reluctance to Sell

Despite Chelsea meeting Liverpool’s reported valuation, the Reds have no desire to lose one of their most reliable defenders – especially to a direct Premier League rival. The club hopes to extend Konaté’s contract, removing the uncertainty around his future.

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As DefensaCentral put it: “The Anfield Road elite are not keen to strengthen a direct Premier League rival with one of their best players.” While Chelsea could improve their bid, Liverpool’s stance remains firm, knowing that letting him leave for free next year would be a major gamble.

Potential Transfer Tug-of-War

For now, the situation is finely balanced. Chelsea’s need is immediate, driven by injury, while Real Madrid are playing the long game. Liverpool are caught in between – determined to keep their man, but aware that the clock on his contract is ticking. If Chelsea’s urgency meets Liverpool’s resolve, the final weeks of the window could get very interesting.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

From a Liverpool supporter’s perspective, this report from DefensaCentral raises both concern and intrigue. On one hand, Konaté’s importance to the squad is unquestionable. His physical presence, aerial dominance, and pace make him an ideal partner for Virgil van Dijk or a leader for the next defensive era. Selling him to Chelsea would feel like directly arming a rival – something that goes against Liverpool’s usual transfer strategy.

The idea of Real Madrid swooping in for a free transfer next summer is equally unsettling. Liverpool’s recruitment policy has been about securing long-term deals for core players. Allowing a 26-year-old France international to leave for nothing would be a rare and damaging lapse.

The €50 million Chelsea offer is tempting in purely financial terms, especially given Konaté’s injury history. Yet the timing is wrong – with the season nearly underway, replacing him adequately would be near-impossible. The fans’ preference would likely be to secure a contract extension quickly, even if it means matching higher wage demands.