Real Madrid ponder Liverpool’s Konaté after Saliba blow – sources

Real Madrid are monitoring Ibrahima Konaté’s contract situation with a view to signing him as a free agent next summer, sources have told ESPN, although there are some doubts within the club over the Liverpool defender.

ESPN reported on Thursday that another Madrid target, William Saliba, has agreed a new five-year contract at Arsenal, with his current deal due to expire in 2027.

That comes as a blow to Madrid, who had been tracking Saliba, 24, with an eye to making a bid for the France international in 2026, when he would have had a year left on his deal in north London.

Multiple sources told ESPN that Saliba was Madrid’s next top target to strengthen their defence, having brought in Dean Huijsen, Álvaro Carreras and Trent Alexander-Arnold in the last transfer window.

Madrid viewed Saliba as fulfilling all the criteria for a suitable signing, sources said, but there is some internal debate within the club over a move for Konaté, 26.

Some at the club view Konaté — who is out of contract at Anfield next summer — as the latest candidate for a policy which has seen Madrid recruit other top players, like Alexander-Arnold, Kylian Mbappé, Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba on free transfers in recent years.

However, sources told ESPN that there is not the same degree of unanimity inside the club over Konaté as there was in the case of Alexander-Arnold.

-Konaté on Madrid link: Mbappé calls every 2 hours- Sources: Saliba agrees five-year Arsenal deal- Transfer rumors: Liverpool look to Bayern’s Upamecano

Another name on Madrid’s defensive shortlist is Castello Lukeba, of RB Leipzig.

Madrid are looking at signing a centre-back in 2026 because the club believe Alaba will leave when his contract expires, while a departure for Rudiger is also a possibility, with the Germany international being linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.

Madrid are keen to add a centre-back to join Huijsen, Éder Militão and Raúl Asencio in the squad, especially given that coach Xabi Alonso sometimes favours a back three, with full-back Carreras also able to operate more centrally.

Another, internal option to strengthen the first-team squad is highly-rated academy product Joan Martinez, 18, who has returned from a long-term injury and is with the reserve team, Castilla, this season.