Real Madrid are an enticing proposition for any player, with it difficult to spurn admiring glances from Santiago Bernabeu. Liverpool found that out to their cost when seeing Trent Alexander-Arnold swap Merseyside for the Spanish capital.
There have been suggestions that history could repeat itself 12 months later. That is because the Reds are seeing another defender run his contract down towards free agency. Having lost their right-back, a centre-half could now walk away for nothing.
Ibrahima Konate is the man in question, with the France international mulling over what to do next after four years at Anfield. If truth be told, he has been catching the eye for all the wrong reasons in 2025-26.
Dramatic collapse
Defensive frailties have led to the reigning Premier League champions enduring a humbling fall from grace, with Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool betting pricing the Reds at 3/1 to keep a clean sheet in north London.
Arne Slot’s side would have earned considerably more favour in online football betting odds 12 months ago as they confidently waltzed their way to a 20th top-flight title and matched the achievements of arch-rivals Manchester United in the process.
Alexander-Arnold formed part of wild celebrations on Merseyside as Slot’s first season at the helm delivered a perfect ending. Few could have predicted in May 2025 that Liverpool would fall so far, quite so quickly.
Konate must shoulder his share of the blame for that, with uncharacteristic errors creeping into his game and that of centre-half partner Virgil van Dijk. What was once a watertight back four has suddenly sprung a few alarming leaks.
It is difficult to explain why so many proven performers have allowed their standards to dip. Maybe complacency has set in, or perhaps Liverpool are trying too hard to right the wrongs that continue to be dissected in minute detail.
Whatever the case may be with Konate, he is doing himself no favours. At times this season, it has been difficult to see why Real Bedford of the Southern League Premier League Division Central would want him, never mind La Liga heavyweights Real Madrid.
Reds legend John Barnes has admitted as much, warning the powerful Frenchman that he “needs to start playing well enough so they’ll want to buy him”. It has already been suggested that the Blancos are turning their attention elsewhere.
Konate held plenty of appeal when playing well, with no transfer fee involved in any deal struck for the summer of 2026, but right now, it is difficult to argue why faith should be shown in him.
Negotiating table
It remains to be seen in which direction a long-running saga will head from here. From having multiple options to consider at one stage, Konate may soon find himself left with none.
Real appear to have walked away from the negotiating table, if they ever reached it at all, with recruitment radars at the Bernabeu seemingly being rotated in a different direction.
Liverpool, meanwhile, will be asking serious questions about whether they want to extend their relationship with a player who has openly flirted with a potential new flame, only to be left stuck on the shelf.