Barcelona is looking to strengthen its defense in the upcoming period, especially amid doubts about the future of Inigo Martinez and Andreas Christensen after the end of next season. Due to the financial crisis the club is facing, Barca is searching for a low-cost deal, with the name Ibrahima Konaté emerging as an ideal option.

The 26-year-old French defender has recently caught the attention of Real Madrid, as the royal club plans to reach a preliminary agreement with him in January, similar to previous deals made with Kylian Mbappé and Alexander Arnold, in case he does not renew his contract with Liverpool.

Liverpool's management is striving to renew Konaté's contract, which expires in the summer of 2026, to avoid losing him for free. However, the attempts have not yielded results so far, opening the door for his departure this summer.

According to the website 'Football Spain', both Barcelona and Bayern Munich have joined the race to sign Konaté, alongside Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. Liverpool is asking for £40 million to part with the player, an amount that the interested clubs do not seem ready to pay at the moment.

If Liverpool fails to renew his contract, Konaté could be a golden deal for Barcelona, given his young age and ability to fit in with the young defender Pau Cubarsi. However, Barca will face fierce competition from Europe's top clubs, most notably Real Madrid.