Real Madrid News
Blow for Real Madrid as key target confirms renewal with Liverpool is ‘close’
Real Madrid are looking to strengthen their defence ahead of the 2026/27 season, but their potential targets appear to be gradually moving out of reach.
First it was Dayot Upamecano, who signed a new contract with Bayern Munich, bringing an end to the speculations of a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
More recently, it was Nico Schlotterbeck, who renewed his contract with Borussia Dortmund, although reports suggest the existence of a special release clause linked to the Spanish club.
And now they could also miss out on Ibrahima Konate, the Liverpool centre-back.
Konate confirms he is close to renewal agreement
Konate has also been strongly linked with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu on a free transfer in the summer, as his contract at Anfield is due to expire.
However, after the match against Everton this past weekend, the Frenchman provided an update on the status of his negotiations with Liverpool, which dealt a blow to Real Madrid’s hopes.
“My future? The truth is that many things have been said, but we have been talking with the club for some time and we are close to an agreement,” he declared, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.
“We’ve all wanted this for a long time, and we’re on the right track. There’s definitely a good chance I’ll be here next season. This is what I’ve always wanted,” he added.
Clearly frustrated by ongoing speculation, he continued: “I’m waiting for the contract to be sorted out.
But when everything is ready, they’ll have to ask Richard (Liverpool’s sporting director) what I told him in September and November, and I’m sure he’ll say something to shut everyone up.”
“It’s been a tough year, and if everyone knew exactly what happened to me, they would understand many things, the sacrifices I’ve made for this club. Right now, we’re focused on the end of the season and securing Champions League qualification,” he concluded.
Real Madrid News
Mbappe hits out at claims on his unhappiness at Real Madrid: ‘Angry at my great aunt too’
Kylian Mbappe has been in the news for a plethora of reasons in recent weeks, starting with his injury and surprise vacation. Beyond that, the Ballon d’Or saga has kept him in the spotlight for a reasonable while now.
The Frenchman, after all, has not held back in speaking out about why he deserves to win the prestigious individual award, and while it is perfectly okay to campaign for the award, it is something that has not usually been done in the past.
In terms of his goalscoring numbers, there is no doubt that Mbappe should be a frontrunner for the award. His lack of a single trophy for both club and country, however, works against his chances.
Mbappe’s sarcastic reply to baseless rumours
Earlier today, there were reports of Kylian Mbappe being angry with Zinedine Zidane and Real Madrid for not campaigning for him to win the Ballon d’Or this year.
The rumours, needless to say, portrayed the player in a very bad light and made it seem like the club not making public gestures to acknowledge and back his campaign affected him personally.
Now, the player has himself come out to lash out at the journalists, albeit in a sarcastic manner. Commenting directly below the post making the claim via Fabrizio Romano, the player wrote,
“Yes, yes, I even got angry with my great aunt too.”
Mbappe’s ability to deal with such reports with a tinge of humour, needless to say, is impressive and it can only be good for his image that he spoke out and cut off the news at its roots.
Set to return
There has been significant concern around Mbappe’s fitness in recent weeks after the player left the French national team with an injury after their first game.
The initial diagnosis appeared worrying, but it soon came to light that the player had avoided a major setback by a hair’s breadth.
Now, there is increasing hope that the Frenchman will be back for Real Madrid’s first game after the break against Villarreal, possibly even as a starter.
Needless to say, that comes as a massive positive for Jose Mourinho’s plans ahead of a crucial stretch of the season.
