Ibrahima Konate future latest as Liverpool on 'high alert' for replacement amid Real Madrid interest in defender

Liverpool have apparently identified RB Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba as a possible replacement for Ibrahima Konate, who is said to have interested Real Madrid.

The Reds may be Premier League champions, but they already look set for significant change within their squad given Trent Alexander-Arnold has signed for Real, while Jeremie Frimpong has made the switch from Bayer Leverkusen to Anfield.

Boss Arne Slot is expected to sign a number of other players, including Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez, who is seen as an alternative to veteran Andrew Robertson.

However, they could also be set to lose centre-back Konate, who has one year remaining on his deal and is said to be a target of Real Madrid.

In anticipation of his possible departure, Football Insider claim that Liverpool could look to sign Leipzig's Lukeba, who may be on the market following his side's failure to qualify for the Champions League.

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Is Lukeba a good replacement for Konate?

Konate has frequently been paired together in central defence with Virgil van Dijk, but he has often been more active than the Liverpool captain given he had the job of covering Alexander-Arnold on the right flank.

While Conor Bradley and Frimpong will battle it out for a starting spot on the right, neither are elite from a defensive perspective, and they will also need help.

Lukeba registered a top speed of 35.1 km/h in the Champions League in 2024-25 - the second fastest in the Leipzig squad - while Konate managed a top speed of 34.1 km/h in Europe.

The 22-year-old is a capable wide defender and has the necessary speed to play in the backline, but he has primarily operated on the left side of the pitch as either a centre-back or left-back.

While the Frenchman could prove to be a versatile defensive option, asking him to play on the opposite side of the pitch could be risky.

It should also be noted that Lukeba only won 26 aerial duels in the Bundesliga whereas Konate won 74 in the Premier League, and the Reds' capabilities in the air - both offensively and defensively - would suffer if the Leipzig man moved to Merseyside.

Written by
Lewis Nolan