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News
- 2 hours ago
'He calls me every two hours!' - Kylian Mbappe helps Real Madrid complete bombshell transfer
Cameron Smith
- 7 Sept 2025 19:00 BST
- 4 min read
News
Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has joked that Kylian Mbappe calls him “every two hours” amid immense speculation that he will join Real Madrid next summer.
Konate, 26, has less than one year remaining on his current contract at Anfield and he has been heavily linked with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu in 2026.
Current ETV
Ibrahima Konaté
D (C)
Liverpool
Ibrahima Konaté
D (C)
Liverpool
ETV Range
€36.4M - €44.5M
Xabi Alonso’s side have prioritised the signings of free agents over the past few years and Konate has emerged as their next transfer target as they eye a possible Bosman deal in 2026.
The France international is yet to sign a contract extension at Liverpool and the Reds are already preparing for life after Konate, with Giovanni Leoni arriving from Parma this summer and Marc Guehi expected to secure an Anfield switch next year.
Konate, who is close friends with international team-mate and Real Madrid star Mbappe, has now joked that his fellow Frenchman is pushing him to complete a bombshell move to Los Blancos after the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign.
Is Kylian Mbappe trying to persuade Ibrahima Konate to join Real Madrid?
Speaking to French outlet Telefoot while on international duty, Konate was asked whether Mbappe has contacted him in an attempt to persuade him to join Real Madrid.
“He calls me every two hours,” Konate joked in response (as per The Daily Mail), before confirming that he doesn’t currently speak Spanish.
Konate has racked up 136 appearances for Liverpool since his arrival from RB Leipzig in 2021, but widespread reports believe he is likely to follow Trent Alexander-Arnold to the Spanish capital in 2026.
Real Madrid signed Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth for €62.5 million this summer, however Konate remains a key target as they search for defensive depth amid Eder Militao’s ongoing injury issues.
Arsenal star William Saliba is also on Real Madrid’s radar, but a move for the 24-year-old seems highly unlikely as things stand and FootballTransfers understands that a new contract at the Emirates Stadium is on the cards.
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