Arne Slot’s Liverpool have stepped up their efforts to replace Ibrahima Konate in the upcoming transfer window.

Ibrahima Konate’s future has become a massive talking point as he has entered the final year of his deal at Anfield. According to a report from Football Insider, Liverpool have already started planning for life without the French international.

They have ramped up their efforts to replace him ahead of next season, as they are yet to make any significant progress in talks with Konate over a potential new deal.

Konate has only gone from strength to strength since joining the Merseyside club from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2021. He has established himself as one of their mainstays at the back alongside Virgil van Dijk.

Konate’s uncertain future

While he remains an integral part of Arne Slot’s team, his future is far from certain. While the 26-year-old has hinted that the saga is close to having a resolution, there are still massive doubts about his staying at the club.

Liverpool remain in talks with the French centre-back, and they are willing to do everything in their power to extend his stay. However, they are aware of the increasing interest in his services. The fact that he can sign a pre-agreement with an interested club starting in January makes matters worse.

Real Madrid are one of the clubs that have been heavily linked with the Liverpool defender. They have a great track record of signing world-class players for free, and can certainly try to lure him to the Bernabeu.

Liverpool planning for life without Konate

While the Reds continue to work on a new deal, they have also started planning for life without the 26-year-old. They are set to accelerate talks to replace him if he doesn’t pen a new deal soon. The longer the situation drags on, the more likely he is to leave the club.

As a result, they are set to push hard to sign Marc Guehi in the winter window, and they do have other targets in mind if they fail to land the Crystal Palace mainstay, having already failed once during the summer.