Ibrahima Konate is on the verge of signing for Real Madrid following his departure from Liverpool.

The Frenchman’s future has been a talking point for many months, with his contract at Liverpool expiring this summer. In April, it looked as if he would extend his stay at Liverpool. Fabrizio Romano reported that the two parties were close to a contract agreement and that talks had advanced into the final stages.

However, despite optimism that a deal would be done, an agreement could not be reached and, following the conclusion of the 2025/26 season, it was announced that Konate was departing the club on a free transfer.

GMS Sources understand that Liverpool were keen to keep the 27-year-old at the club and were willing to give him a pay-rise which reflected his own standing in the squad. Konate was also open to staying should his demands be met.

However, there wasn’t enough movement on either side, meaning Konate will become a free agent this summer.

How Much Ibrahima Konate Will Earn at Real Madrid

Konate has long been linked with a move to Real Madrid, and he is now closing in on a move to the Spanish capital.

Fabrizio Romano announced earlier this week that an agreement had been reached and that he has signed a four-year contract.

The terms of his contract have now come to light. According to Spanish journalist Eduardo Inda, Konate was demanding a signing bonus of €20 million, and a yearly salary of €12 million net per season. That works out to around £400,000-per-week before tax, per Anfield Watch.

El Desmarque have now reported that Real Madrid have agreed to those terms. He will earn a salary very similar to that of David Alaba, who joined the club on a free transfer from Bayern Munich in 2021.

Konate was earning around £150,000-per-week at Liverpool, per Goal, meaning he has been given a mammoth pay-rise.

Ibrahima Konate Pays Tribute to Liverpool After Exit

REUTERS/David Klein

Konate made 183 appearances for Liverpool during his five-year spell at the club. He scored seven times and helped them to five trophies, including the Premier League title in 2025.

He penned an emotional post on Instagram after it was revealed he was leaving the club. He wrote:

“Representing this club has been an honour. We’ve shared incredible moments together… highs and lows, trophies, challenges, lifelong friendships, and heartbreaking moments that will stay with us forever, none more painful than losing our brother Diogo.

“Losing my father this year was one of the hardest periods of my life, but even through hardship, my commitment to this club never changed. During the toughest moments, I gave everything I had for this badge.

“To my teammates, coaches, staff and everyone behind the scenes, thank you for helping me grow every single day. And to the supporters… thank you for your love, your energy, and your incredible support. Anfield is truly a special place, and playing in front of you was something I never took for granted.

“I am deeply saddened that I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to all of you at the last game. At that moment, I didn’t know it would be my final time wearing this shirt in front of you.

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything. I love you all and will carry Liverpool with me wherever I go. This isn’t an easy goodbye, but it’s time for a new challenge and a new chapter.”

During the week of the 2026 edition of the Monaco Grand Prix, it was announced that Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc had signed a brand new multi-year deal with Italian giants Ferrari.

Despite the new deal that keeps Leclerc at Ferrari into his 30s, the contract negotiations reportedly haven’t been smooth-sailing for the driver, after various suggestions have since emerged that he held talks with one of Ferrari’s biggest rivals.

Leclerc has won eight Grands Prix during his career, which have all come in the famous red cockpit of Ferrari since he joined in 2019, and his new deal sees him prolong his stay at the team for many more years.

Without many rumours or talk inside the F1 paddock and world, his multi-year contract extension with Ferrari came as a surprise for many, especially after considering that there haven’t been any reports of unhappiness or tension within the team regarding his previous contract situation.

Despite this, there have been many discussions previously suggesting that, due to Ferrari’s struggles and inability to provide its drivers with championship-winning cars in recent history, if Leclerc wants to achieve his dream of becoming a Formula One world champion, then he needs to depart the scarlet red team and look elsewhere.

Charles Leclerc’s Secret Talks Elsewhere

Former F1 driver and current pundit, Ralf Schumacher, has previously revealed that Leclerc apparently had held talks with Aston Martin over a potential move for the Monegasque, but given their horrendous start to the 2026 season and difficulty adjusting to the new regulations, if Leclerc had departed for the Silverstone-based team, then his attempt for a world championship would have taken a step back.

However, in an F1 Insider podcast episode previewing the Monaco Grand Prix, journalist Ralf Bach was asked for his thoughts and feelings regarding Leclerc’s new multi-year deal at Ferrari, and whether it was the correct decision for him moving forward in his ever talented career. It was then that he revealed about the ‘behind the scenes’ talks Leclerc had… with Red Bull!

Bach initially responded by suggesting that Leclerc has made the “right choice” for himself, before revealing that he had also held talks with Laurent Mekies, who is the Red Bull chief, one of Ferrari’s biggest competitors.

“One had heard that Red Bull were really pushing hard, especially Laurent Mekies – the two of them are French mates, you could say.

“He believes he feels very much at home there. He feels at home in red; he feels like a Ferrari driver. And I think he made the right decision. And Ferrari is also backing him because he’s one of the best drivers out there.

“If he becomes even more consistent – that’s something he’s lacking a bit, as we saw in Canada – then he’s absolutely a title contender. So I think he’s done everything right.”

Leclerc’s first chance of victory following his brand-new contract extension is his home race at Monaco, with many insiders and drivers suggesting that Ferrari have an excellent chance of claiming their first victory of the season this weekend. So will Leclerc be able to repeat his 2024 home heroics and claim another historic victory in the red of Ferrari this weekend?

Florentino Perez has announced that Real Madrid will submit a record-breaking €150 million offer for a ‘total Galactico’ next week.

The 79-year-old is currently locked in a battle with Enrique Riquelme to be re-elected as Real Madrid president. The vote will be held this weekend and Perez, who has been in charge at the Bernabeu since 2009, is the strong favourite to win this year’s presidential race.

Enrique Riquelme caused a stir earlier this week by promising to sign Manchester City’s Erling Haaland if elected. The 37-year-old held up a Real Madrid shirt with ‘Haaland 9’ on the back before also promising to sign the Norwegian’s teammate Rodri. Man City have subsequently threatened legal action.

Florentino Perez Rules Out Four Players

Not taking victory for granted, Perez confirmed on Thursday night, via the Spanish TV show Horizonte, per Marca: “I want to share some news. On Tuesday, I will make a major offer to a Champions League club for a great player.

“It would be the largest transfer fee Real Madrid has ever paid in its history. It would be around €150 million. A clue? I can’t give one – I’m already telling you what we’re going to do.”

Perez, describing Enrique’s campaign promise to sign Haaland as a “bluff”, ruled out the possibility that the player in question is Man City’s prolific No. 9.

The current president added, per ESPN: “It isn’t [Michael] Olise, he’s a great player, but it isn’t Olise.

Perez added: “He’s a total Galactico. But first we’ll talk to his club.”

He also hinted the footballer is a “Cristiano Ronaldo or Kaka level player”, according to Fabrizio Romano.

A host of top-level European clubs will now be sweating after Perez’s announcement. One of them is about to receive a gigantic €150 million offer for one of their top stars.

Needless to say, there’s been constant speculation on social media following Perez’s cryptic announcement, with fans attempting to work out the mystery player’s identity.

Paris Saint-Germain’s world-class winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala and even Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal are all being mentioned.

However, according to El Partidazo de COPE, there are only two possibilities: and they both play for PSG in midfield.

Portugal internationals Vitinha and Joao Neves have both cemented their reputations as world-class midfielders with PSG over the past couple of seasons. Both players would also cost a fortune to sign.

They tick many of the boxes, although it’s debatable whether either are at the same level as Cristiano Ronaldo or Kaka, two previous Galactico signings who joined Los Blancos in the summer of 2009.

Both Vitinha and Joao Neves, who come from the same country as returning manager Jose Mourinho, are among the early contenders for the 2026 Ballon d’Or award ahead of the 2026 World Cup.