Ibrahima Konate has joked that France teammate Kylian Mbappe is relentlessly trying to lure him to Real Madrid. With his Liverpool contract in its final year and no new deal agreed, the defender’s future is already a hot topic — and Mbappe isn’t hiding where he wants him next.
Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has added fuel to ongoing transfer speculation after joking that Kylian Mbappe calls him “every two hours” to convince him to join Real Madrid.
Konate, who has entered the final year of his deal at Anfield, has yet to commit to new terms with the Premier League champions. That uncertainty has already sparked rumors linking him with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu, especially in the wake of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s shock switch to Los Blancos earlier this summer.
Speaking to French TV channel TF1, Konate laughed off the situation but admitted Mbappe has been in his ear:
He calls me every two hours! No, no, no,” the centre-back joked when asked about the Madrid speculation.
Liverpool under pressure
Liverpool are determined not to repeat the Alexander-Arnold saga, which saw them lose one of their biggest assets to Real Madrid. According to reports, club officials have been pushing to extend Konate’s deal since the start of 2025 but fear he may have already made up his mind.
The Reds reshaped their defence in the summer by selling Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen for £34 million and investing €35m in highly-rated teenager Giovanni Leoni from Parma. They also came close to sealing a move for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi before the deal collapsed late on deadline day.
Real Madrid’s next move?
Madrid, meanwhile, are expected to strengthen their defensive options further next summer, and Konate — a Champions League winner with Liverpool — fits the profile Florentino Pérez and Carlo Ancelotti want. With his contract running down, Liverpool face the risk of losing him on a free transfer in 2026 if no agreement is reached.
For now, Konate remains a Liverpool player, but Mbappe’s “every two hours” calls are a reminder of how influential the France captain has become, not just for his national team but also as a recruiter for Los Blancos.
Both players will turn their attention back to international duty when France face Iceland in World Cup qualifying before returning to their clubs at the end of the break.
