Liverpool have tabled a new and improved offer in their attempts to end a long-running transfer saga and stick it to Real Madrid once and for all, a report has confirmed.

When Liverpooland Real Madridmeet in the transfer market, it’s usually a no-contest. Los Blancos successfully lured Trent Alexander-Arnold away from his boyhood club last summer, and also snatched Reds centre-back target, Dean Huijsen.

Looking further back, Real Madrid signed both of Liverpool’s top transfer targets in midfield in successive summers (Aurelien Tchouameni – 2022, Jude Bellingham – 2023).

The LaLiga giant are haunting Liverpool yet again, with Ibrahima Konate and his dwindling contract now the focus.

There have even been reports in Germany of Konate already being ‘mentally’ checked out at Liverpool, with a move to Madrid in his mind.

The Frenchman, 26, will see his current terms at Anfield expire in the summer. Liverpool have made repeated attempts to tie Konate down to a new deal since opening dialogue with his camp all the way back in the autumn of 2024.

As yet, there’s been no breakthrough, and we’re now just three months away from a painful free agent exit for the Reds.

But according to our colleagues over on TEAMtalk, Liverpool have made a bold new play to bring the saga to a positive end once and for all.

Insider, Graeme Bailey, revealed Liverpool have launched a new and improved contract offer, which they firmly believe is enough to get Konate to commit.

Bailey explained: “Liverpool believe the proposal they have placed on the table is the most lucrative one yet in terms of basic salary.”

But while Arne Slot’s side have ‘confidence’ Konate will accept the proposal, it was noted competition for his signature is fierce, and is not limited to Real Madrid.

Barcelona have also joined the race, while reports out of Italy claiming Inter Milan want the defender have now been verified.

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Of course, Real Madrid remain in the mix too, and Konate would be in familiar company if moving to the Bernabeu by linking up with fellow France internationals, Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga, Tchouameni and Kylian Mbappe.

In the event Konate were to wave goodbye to Anfield in the summer, the fully agreed arrival of Jeremy Jacquet is not viewed as a like-for-like replacement.

Liverpool’s ideal aim is to get Konate to re-sign AND bring Jacquet on board. If Konate goes, Liverpool will look to add another new centre-back on top of Jacquet.

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