Liverpool could be bracing for another major blow next summer, with Real Madrid confident of landing Ibrahima Konaté as his Anfield contract runs into its final year.

From Trent’s exit to fresh Madrid fears

The departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to the Bernabéu was a bitter pill for Reds supporters, especially as the saga dragged on before Liverpool secured only a £10m fee.

Arne Slot has since moved quickly to plug the gap, signing Jeremie Frimpong to compete with Conor Bradley while also investing in teenage defender Giovanni Leoni for the future.

But now, Real Madrid’s attention has reportedly turned to Konaté.

The Frenchman, who featured in France’s World Cup qualifiers after overcoming recent cramp concerns, is entering the final stretch of his deal. Despite his £40m valuation, there is growing belief in Spain that he will be prised away.

Madrid’s confidence versus Liverpool’s resolve

According to Lewis Steele, Konaté has yet to make a decision on his future and hasn’t informed Liverpool of any desire to leave.

Still, insiders at Madrid remain confident of signing him on a free next summer.

For Michael Edwards and the Anfield hierarchy, the priority will be avoiding a repeat of the Alexander-Arnold saga, where Liverpool were left scrambling and forced into an underwhelming compromise.

Konaté is widely considered one of the world’s elite centre-backs when fit, and losing him without adequate compensation would send the wrong message to the rest of the squad just as Slot is trying to build momentum in his first season.

Tottenham defender could influence outcome

Liverpool’s chances of keeping Konaté may yet be helped by Madrid’s alternative plans. Reports in Spain suggest that Los Blancos are also targeting Tottenham’s Mickey van de Ven.

If their focus shifts towards the Dutchman, Liverpool would have breathing space to convince Konaté to extend his stay.

For now, though, the pressure is mounting. Having already lost one cornerstone of their defence to Madrid, the Reds cannot afford to let history repeat itself with another key player.