Konaté leaves Liverpool for Real Madrid, Mourinho announced as manager

Ibrahima Konaté will join Real Madrid when his Liverpool contract expires on June 30. According to Radio France, the French centre-back has signed a four-year deal with the Merengues, and the official announcement is just a matter of hours away according to the Madrid press.

The move comes as no surprise: Florentino Perez had made it an explicit campaign promise. “I can already assure you that, if I remain president of Real Madrid, one of the best defenders in the world, Konaté, will play for Real Madrid from next season,” he had declared, before adding: “If I am elected president, Konaté will be my first signing and he will play for Real Madrid.” Re-elected on Sunday with 65% of the vote, Perez kept his word.

Konaté will rejoin at the Bernabéu a significant French contingent that endured a difficult season. Ferland Mendy suffered repeated injury problems, while Aurélien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Kylian Mbappé faced fierce criticism in the spring.

Perez’s re-election came with another major announcement: the return of José Mourinho to the Madrid dugout. “I am here to defend Madrid, to continue winning titles, to be proud of the Bernabéu, proud of having the best players and the best manager, a Madridista like Mourinho,” the president said as he celebrated his victory.