‘Mbappe calls me every two hours’ – Liverpool star opens up on Real Madrid transfer interest

Liverpool contract rebel Ibrahima Konate has joked that Kylian Mbappe calls him every two hours over a move to Real Madrid. The defender has entered the final year of his deal at Anfield and can sign a pre-contract agreement with overseas clubs in January. Konate is close friends with France teammate MbappeGetty The 26-year-old has established himself as Virgil van Dijk‘s chief centre-back partner since joining from RB Leipzig in 2021. However, Konate is into the final 12 months of the five-year deal he signed with the Reds and has attracted interest from elsewhere. Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and clubs in Saudi Arabia have all been touted as potential suitors for the Frenchman. Konate attempted to keep his situation tight-lipped on international duty, but couldn’t resist joking once the topic of his future arose. During a yes/no game on French TV, Téléfoot, presenter Séverine Parlakou asked: “The Spanish press is sending you to Real Madrid next season. Kylian Mbappé is putting a bit of pressure on you to come?” “He calls me every two hours!”, the Liverpool star laughed in response, having also denied that he has already learnt Spanish. For Arne Slot, though, Konate’s future is no laughing matter, having already lost one key defender to the Spanish giants this summer. Liverpool couldn’t keep hold of vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold after he similarly rejected new deals to head to Madrid.. talkSPORT understands the Reds did bank £10million despite the right-back departing upon the expiration of his contract. Konate, meanwhile, who has featured 136 times in all competitions since joining in 2021, could now follow in his footsteps next season. Konate also risked upsetting Liverpool fans by choosing Dembele over Salah for the Ballon d’OrGetty Ibrahima Konate yes/no transcript Michael Olise is the worthy successor of Antoine Griezmann for France? Yes, I hope. Is Dayot Upamecano one of the best defenders in the world right now? Yes How is his neck after his goalsaving header vs. Ukraine: “I’m used to it. A backward header.” Does he want to play with Paul Pogba for France? Yes Does he want to play with Bixente Lizarazu? (Laughs) “It’s my dream” presenter responds: “But I’m too late, I’m done.” Is it true that you speak Spanish? No. Parlakou: Hablas Español? No. The Spanish press is sending you to Real Madrid next season. Kylian Mbappé is putting a bit of pressure on you to come? He calls me every two hours. On Liverpool facing Marseille in the Champions League at the Velodrome. Are you scared? No, but we know that the Velodrome is tough. We like these atmospheres. We like them a lot Hugo Ekitike is going to wreak havoc in the Premier League – Yes, I hope so. Yes. Last season of Didier Deschamps as France manager. Does that make you a bit sad? Yes, but no. Because if it’s his decision, I’m happy. It’s really thought out for him. So I’m happy for him too. Will Ousmane Dembélé win the Ballon d’Or on September 22nd? Yes. Is that right for you? Yes. Will Konate win the Ballon d’Or one day? Yes, yes, yes! On Manu Koné being underrated: “Yes, we don’t talk about him enough. We see him, but we don’t talk about him enough.“ Going to give Deschamps the World Cup as a parting gift? First, we’d have to qualify to start...I hope so. Yes, yes. Yes. We’re going to do everything. Did you lie during this interview? Yes When we spoke Spanish? I lied, but not on this question. I’m telling you, he lied on this question. He speaks Spanish very well. He speaks Spanish very well ‘That tells me Konate’s leaving’ He is a Premier League, FA Cup, Community Shield and two-time Carabao Cup winner with the Merseyside outfit. Liverpool have already hinted at their succession plans for Konate, having targeted central defenders heavily this summer. “If Liverpool are in for Marc Guehi, that signals to me that Konate is more on the side of leaving,” Jermaine Pennant told talkSPORT. “I’m thinking, is this a situation like Real Madrid and Trent Alexander-Arnold, where Liverpool are saying to Guehi, ‘Just see your contract out and we will look after you’? “Because Konate is in the same situation, he’s in the last year of his contract and they haven’t agreed a deal. Mbappe wants another Liverpool man to be his new Real Madrid teammateGetty Liverpool are set to move ahead with their pursuit of Guehi in January or at the end of the season – but they will have competitionGetty “So Liverpool might be saying to him, ‘Look, Konate’s going to go at the end of this season, Marc Guehi, you see out your contract and come, join us for on a free and we’re prepared to offer you this’.” Ultimately, the Premier League champions’ move for Crystal Palace captain Guehi fell through in a huge twist on deadline day. A deal sheet for a £35m switch to Liverpool had even been submitted, yet the Eagles’ lack of replacement saw the club pull the

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‘Mbappe calls me every two hours’ – Liverpool star opens up on Real Madrid transfer interest

Liverpool contract rebel Ibrahima Konate has joked that Kylian Mbappe calls him every two hours over a move to Real Madrid.

The defender has entered the final year of his deal at Anfield and can sign a pre-contract agreement with overseas clubs in January.

Konate is close friends with France teammate Mbappe

The 26-year-old has established himself as Virgil van Dijk‘s chief centre-back partner since joining from RB Leipzig in 2021.

However, Konate is into the final 12 months of the five-year deal he signed with the Reds and has attracted interest from elsewhere.

Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and clubs in Saudi Arabia have all been touted as potential suitors for the Frenchman.

Konate attempted to keep his situation tight-lipped on international duty, but couldn’t resist joking once the topic of his future arose.

During a yes/no game on French TV, Téléfoot, presenter Séverine Parlakou asked: “The Spanish press is sending you to Real Madrid next season. Kylian Mbappé is putting a bit of pressure on you to come?”

“He calls me every two hours!”, the Liverpool star laughed in response, having also denied that he has already learnt Spanish.

For Arne Slot, though, Konate’s future is no laughing matter, having already lost one key defender to the Spanish giants this summer.

Liverpool couldn’t keep hold of vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold after he similarly rejected new deals to head to Madrid..

talkSPORT understands the Reds did bank £10million despite the right-back departing upon the expiration of his contract.

Konate, meanwhile, who has featured 136 times in all competitions since joining in 2021, could now follow in his footsteps next season.

Konate also risked upsetting Liverpool fans by choosing Dembele over Salah for the Ballon d’Or

Ibrahima Konate yes/no transcript

Michael Olise is the worthy successor of Antoine Griezmann for France? Yes, I hope.

Is Dayot Upamecano one of the best defenders in the world right now? Yes

How is his neck after his goalsaving header vs. Ukraine: “I’m used to it. A backward header.”

Does he want to play with Paul Pogba for France? Yes

Does he want to play with Bixente Lizarazu? (Laughs) “It’s my dream” presenter responds: “But I’m too late, I’m done.”

Is it true that you speak Spanish? No. Parlakou: Hablas Español? No.

The Spanish press is sending you to Real Madrid next season. Kylian Mbappé is putting a bit of pressure on you to come? He calls me every two hours.

On Liverpool facing Marseille in the Champions League at the Velodrome. Are you scared? No, but we know that the Velodrome is tough. We like these atmospheres. We like them a lot

Hugo Ekitike is going to wreak havoc in the Premier League – Yes, I hope so. Yes.

Last season of Didier Deschamps as France manager. Does that make you a bit sad? Yes, but no. Because if it’s his decision, I’m happy. It’s really thought out for him. So I’m happy for him too.

Will Ousmane Dembélé win the Ballon d’Or on September 22nd? Yes.

Is that right for you? Yes.

Will Konate win the Ballon d’Or one day? Yes, yes, yes!

On Manu Koné being underrated: “Yes, we don’t talk about him enough. We see him, but we don’t talk about him enough.“

Going to give Deschamps the World Cup as a parting gift? First, we’d have to qualify to start...I hope so. Yes, yes. Yes. We’re going to do everything.

Did you lie during this interview? Yes

When we spoke Spanish? I lied, but not on this question.

I’m telling you, he lied on this question. He speaks Spanish very well. He speaks Spanish very well

‘That tells me Konate’s leaving’

He is a Premier League, FA Cup, Community Shield and two-time Carabao Cup winner with the Merseyside outfit.

Liverpool have already hinted at their succession plans for Konate, having targeted central defenders heavily this summer.

“If Liverpool are in for Marc Guehi, that signals to me that Konate is more on the side of leaving,” Jermaine Pennant told talkSPORT.

“I’m thinking, is this a situation like Real Madrid and Trent Alexander-Arnold, where Liverpool are saying to Guehi, ‘Just see your contract out and we will look after you’?

“Because Konate is in the same situation, he’s in the last year of his contract and they haven’t agreed a deal.

Mbappe wants another Liverpool man to be his new Real Madrid teammate

Liverpool are set to move ahead with their pursuit of Guehi in January or at the end of the season – but they will have competition

“So Liverpool might be saying to him, ‘Look, Konate’s going to go at the end of this season, Marc Guehi, you see out your contract and come, join us for on a free and we’re prepared to offer you this’.”

Ultimately, the Premier League champions’ move for Crystal Palace captain Guehi fell through in a huge twist on deadline day.

A deal sheet for a £35m switch to Liverpool had even been submitted, yet the Eagles’ lack of replacement saw the club pull the plug.

Leoni has just received his first senior Italy call-up

Liverpool could switch to a back-three

Slot’s men retain an interest in signing Guehi at a later date, while they did complete a £26m transfer for Giovanni Leoni.

The 18-year-old, who has already been named the heir to the Van Dijk throne, will take this season to bed in with a greater role next year.

Discussing Leoni’s potential pathway at Anfield, Troy Deeney told talkSPORT: “He’ll play enough games this year to adapt and get used to living in Liverpool and the pressures because it is a different pressure, right?

“But I think next year, with [Ibrahima] Konate going, it’s a seamless [transition]…I can see Liverpool playing three at the back.”