REAL MADRID JUST ONE STEP FROM COMPLETING KONATé TRANSFER
In a major boost for Liverpool, Real Madrid have reportedly cooled their interest in Ibrahima Konaté due to injury concerns. This could pave the way for the defender to sign a new contract at Anfield.
An unexpected check on Ibrahima Konate? Massive news is just one step away for Real Madrid.
Unless he signs a new deal with Liverpool, Ibrahima Konate will leave at the end of the current campaign. Additionally, non-English clubs have until January 1st to agree to a pre-contract with the defender, so time is running out.
However, Liverpool has been in this predicament for a while. With probably their three finest players on contract expiration, the Reds fought through the entire previous season and prevailed.
Despite the club's strong desire to resolve the matter, the pressure is not as great this time. And if it were not for Real Madrid, there is a sense they would have done exactly that.
Los Blancos are attempting to sign Konate, much like they did with Trent Alexander-Arnold. The same campaign that runs whenever they are after a player has been connected to them in the Spanish press for months.
It is quite difficult to agree to a new contract because of their involvement, particularly if Konate's head has been turned. But it looks like we could soon receive a significant update on that.
The ambitious goals of Real Madrid
According to Cadena SER, Real Madrid is interested in acquiring Bayern Munich's Dayot Upamecano. Like his fellow countryman and former RB Leipzig teammate Konate, the Frenchman's contract is set to expire in the summer.
Importantly, the story implies that Real Madrid has cooled significantly on Konate, which is why they have decided to move forward with Upamecano. The Liverpool star's injury history is apparently putting them off.
Naturally, Liverpool would be thrilled to hear this news. After all, Konate does not have a very bad injury record, and the Reds are clearly interested in keeping him.
That is made much simpler by Real Madrid's exit from the table. If this news is accurate, we actually think Konate will re-sign with Liverpool.
WHY DID JEREMY JACQUET SNUB CHELSEA FOR LIVERPOOL? THE SECRET VIRGIL CONNECTION
Liverpool secure Jeremy Jacquet in a £60m Deadline Day coup. The 20-year-old chose Anfield over Chelsea for a summer move.
Liverpool turned heads on Transfer Deadline Day when Arne Slot jumped into the mix and snapped up one of Europe’s brightest young talents.
The Reds dropped £55 million up front—plus another potential £5 million in add-ons—to bring in Jeremy Jacquet. He’ll link up with his new teammates this summer. Chelsea hovered around the deal too, but Jacquet chose Liverpool over the Blues.
French football pundit Julian Laurens isn’t shy about his excitement. He told Sky Sports, “He’s the real deal. Sure, he’s only 20. He hasn’t played for France yet, and you won’t find him in the Champions League or Europa League. But he’s already shown so much. Last season, Rennes brought him back from a second division loan, and this year, playing under Habib Beye, he’s just kept improving. You can’t miss with this kid. He’s going to be special.
“He reminds me of when William Saliba broke through at Saint-Etienne, or even Wesley Fofana. The point is, if you really value untapped talent, you’re willing to pay big. And Liverpool just did—because Jacquet’s that promising.”
Jacquet grew up in Bondy, the same Paris suburb that produced Kylian Mbappe, William Saliba, and Randal Kolo Muani. It’s up in Seine-Saint-Denis, northeast of central Paris.
His football education, though, happened at Rennes out in Brittany. He came up through their academy, playing alongside guys like Desire Doue—who won the Champions League with PSG—and Tottenham’s Mathys Tel.
Back then, Jacquet idolised Paul Pogba, but once they moved him to centre-back, he started looking up to Virgil van Dijk.
He made his first-team debut for Rennes in January 2024, then went on loan to Clermont Foot 63, who were fighting relegation in Ligue 1. Even after they went down, Rennes kept him out on loan because he did so well with the French U19 squad.
But in February 2025, Rennes called him back, and he’s been a regular for Habib Beye ever since.
Asked about his playing style, Jacquet said, “I’m calm on the ball—maybe I look a little nonchalant, but I’m always focused. What makes me stand out is playing out from the back and breaking lines with the right pass.”
JEREMY JACQUET UPDATE: FABRIZIO ROMANO CONFIRMS LIVERPOOL INTEREST BUT RENNES DEMAND CLUB-RECORD FEE
Liverpool is battling Chelsea and Bayern Munich for Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet as Arne Slot faces a mounting injury crisis.
Liverpool really wants to sign Jeremy Jacquet this month, but with Chelsea, Man United, and Arsenal also circling, it looks like they’ll have to wait until summer.
They just locked in a spot in the Champions League last 16 after cruising past Qarabag FK, so things are looking good on that front. This season, they’ve already faced a couple of those big clubs—snatching a last-gasp win over Atletico thanks to Van Dijk’s 92nd-minute header, but coming up short with a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray in Turkey.
On Wednesday, Ryan Gravenberch ended up playing centre-back because Joe Gomez is out injured, and Ibrahima Konate is still away after his father passed away. They're really stretched at the back, especially with Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni both dealing with long-term injuries. The club decided not to go after Marc Guehi this month, which let Manchester City snap him up for under £30 million.
Now, Liverpool is eyeing Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet. L’Equipe reported in January that Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal, and Liverpool all want him. Fabrizio Romano gave an update, saying Liverpool would love to get the deal done now, but Rennes just don’t want to sell until summer. So, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Bayern are all talking to Rennes and Jacquet’s people, but for now, it’s a waiting game.
With all these injuries piling up, people are wondering if Liverpool might try to bring in someone before the window closes. Arne Slot responded, saying the club always tries to make smart decisions, thinking about both the short and long term. That’s why they focus on signing young talent who can still develop—sometimes you just have to be patient and trust the process.
He pointed out that Liverpool doesn’t have a massive squad packed with four right-backs, a dozen midfielders, or a handful of strikers. They need to be clever about their moves, balancing immediate needs with future plans.
As for the latest on injuries, Slot said they’ll see how Jeremie Frimpong is doing—maybe he won’t be fit for Saturday, but he could be ready soon after. With just one game a week coming up, injuries should ease up a bit, but you never know with football.