Real Madrid are prepared to pay a combined €150 million to sign Premier League defensive duo William Saliba and Ibrahima Konate.
According to Fichajes, Real Madrid have set aside a €150 million kitty for Premier League’s defensive duo William Saliba and Ibrahima Konate. Florentino Perez wants to equip Xabi Alonso with a formidable backline, although doing the deals for the Arsenal and Liverpool star comes with its challenges.
Real Madrid may have one of the most formidable teams in all of Europe, but Florentino Perez continues to tinker with adding more quality to the squad. The current focus is away from the attacking third as new boss Xabi Alonso wants to address his midfield and defensive settings.
For instance, credible reports are stating the club are preparing a massive bid for Manchester City’s Rodri to solve their midfield issues. Perez is also focused on the defensive setup, as the Real Madrid president wants to arm Alonso with a formidable set of central defenders following the manager’s insistence on fielding a back three.
With Dean Huijsen already through the door, Perez now wants to conclude deals for William Saliba and Ibrahima Konate. Real Madrid have a €150 million kitty to secure those deals, but both come with challenges. Starting with Konate, the Spanish giants might sense more of a chance with him and had planned on a low offer to get a deal done, given he is into the final year of his contract at Anfield.
Konate has been dreaming about joining Real Madrid, as the club are now reportedly prepared to make a €50 million offer to test the waters with Liverpool. Should the Premier League side refuse the bid, the Spanish giants will push to get the Frenchman on a free transfer next summer, much similar to the successful operation with Trent Alexander-Arnold earlier in the window.
William Saliba a complicated operation for Real Madrid
Perez loves Saliba and reportedly views the Frenchman as a priority of sorts. The idea of angling a move for the Arsenal man this summer is a challenging task, given the Gunners are closing in on a new deal for the defender. Moreover, their asking price for the defensive mainstay might prove prohibitive, even though Real Madrid have allocated €100 million for the centre-back.
Arsenal are ready to offer lucrative wages to keep Saliba on board, and so far, there have been no credible reports stating they are prepared to part ways this summer. Hence, there is a big chance for Real Madrid to test the waters with Liverpool for Konate and stand a chance to sign him over Saliba in this window, as the Arsenal man may be unreachable at this given moment.