Liverpool will be over the moon to learn that Marc Guehi is NOT Real Madrid’s number one centre-back, with Spanish publication Marca also revealing what Arne Slot and Richard Hughes think Ibrahima Konate will do about a potential move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Both Liverpool and Real Madrid are on the hunt for a new centre-back in 2026. While Liverpool, who won the Premier League title last season, could lose Konate, who is out of contract at the end of the season, and also have to address the situation of the ageing Virgil van Dijk, Madrid are unlikely to renew the contracts of David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger when they expire next summer.
Marc Guehi is on the radar of both Liverpool and Madrid, with the England international centre-back out of contract at Crystal Palace at the end of the season.
It has been well-documented how close Liverpool were to signing Guehi on the final day of the summer transfer window before Palace pulled the plug.
Sources have told TEAMtalk that Liverpool are still keen on Guehi, with Madrid also since taking a shine to him as he will become a free agent next summer.
There has been speculation that Guehi is waiting to see if Real Madrid approach him before deciding on his next club, but the latest update from Spain will come as a blow to the 25-year-old England international.
According to Marca, which is the number one source for all things Real Madrid and has close ties with the Spanish and European giants’ hierarchy, Guehi is NOT the number one centre-back target for Los Blancos.
Liverpool star Konate is ‘the number one’ on Madrid’s ‘preferred list’, with Marca adding that although Dayot Upamecano has been ‘offered’ to Los Blancos, the Bayern Munich centre-back is not on their list.
Madrid have ‘Konate ‘s name first’ on their ‘preferred list’ and not Guehi.
This will come as a huge boost for Liverpool in their pursuit of Guehi, as they will now have one fewer top European club to compete with for the Palace defender.
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What Liverpool think Ibrahima Konate will do – Marca
However, Madrid’s stance on Konate is a blow to Liverpool’s chances of convincing the 26-year-old to put pen to paper on a new deal.
According to Marca, Liverpool believe that Konate will join Madrid next summer when he becomes a free agent.
The Spanish publication, which one must stress always has a Real Madrid slant, has reported that given that Konate has still not signed a new deal, Liverpool ‘think his commitment to Real Madrid is more than just a rumour’.
Trusted journalists, Fabrizio Romano and David Ornstein, though, have recently stressed that no decision has been made by Konate.
Romano reported this week that Liverpool are Konate are ‘still in conversation’, while, according to Ornstein on NBC Sports, ‘talks are active’.
TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Dean Jones, has reported that it would make sense for Konate to drag out the transfer saga so that he can get the best deal possible.
It is clear that Liverpool will not give up on the prospect of keeping Konate, but with every passing day, it is looking more and more likely that the defender will not be at Anfield next season.
Latest Real Madrid news: Enzo Fernandez price-tag, Endrick in demand
In other news, Real Madrid have learnt how much Enzo Fernandez will cost, as Chelsea set a massive price-tag on the Argentina international midfielder.
Meanwhile, one of the world’s best teenage players wants to join Real Madrid, even though bitter rivals Barcelona are after him.
And finally, West Ham United’s desire to sign Endrick has been reported by multiple sources, and the Brazil international striker’s desire is surely made up after what’s happening at the Premier League club.
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