REAL MADRID are preparing another attack on Anfield, with another Liverpool star in their sights.
Los Blancos have a verbal agreement with the Reds’ right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is expected to join the Spanish side on a free transfer this summer.
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The La Liga outfit are trying to add the Englishman to their ranks before they jet off to the United States for the Club World Cup.
Now, with one Liverpool defender (almost) signed, Real are lining up another.
Furthermore, it would mean that they have decimated half of Arne Slot’s four-man defence, and the entirety of the right side of his quartet.
The man in question is Ibrahima Konate, who Madrid are keeping a watchful eye on as the Frenchman’s contract ticks down at Anfield.
Konate, 25, moved to Merseyside in 2021 from RB Leipzig and has made 129 appearances for the club.
However, there is uncertainty over the French international’s future at Liverpool, with his current deal set to expire at the end of next season.
Madrid lay in wait for Alexander-Arnold, piling on the pressure as the season wore on, with the climax being a £20 million offer to sign him immediately back in January.
That bid was swiftly rebuffed by Slot’s side, but it played a crucial part in the England right-back refusing to budge on his position, indicating that he wanted to make the switch to Spain.
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Should Madrid make their interest in Konate more concrete, they would be looking to add him to ranks that need bolstering.
Antonio Rudiger, another freebie signed from the Premier League, ruptured his mensicus last month and will be out for around six to eight weeks.
In the meantime, natural central midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni has had to deputise in the heart of defence, with manager Carlo Ancelotti not keen to trust former Wolves defender Jesus Vallejo.
Raul Asencio, 22, has emerged as a reliable first-team option, particularly in the absence of the injury-ridden David Alaba on the left side of the central pairing, while Eder Militao has been a long-term miss with a torn ACL.