Real Madrid signs France defender Ibrahima Konaté to 4-year deal

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid says it has reached a deal with Ibrahima Konaté to sign the France defender to a four-year contract.

The Spanish powerhouse announced the deal on Thursday while the central defender is with his national team at the World Cup.

Konaté was a free agent after his deal with Liverpool expired.

The 27-year-old Konaté joined Liverpool in 2021 from Leipzig. He helped it win the Premier League in 2025 and the FA Cup in 2022.

His contract was a campaign promise of Florentino Pérez before he was re-elected as Madrid club president this month.

Konaté did not leave the bench in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal to open their World Cup campaign on Tuesday.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.