Sport Bild’s “Bayern Insider” Podcast reports that Bayern Munich are in contact with Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté’s entourage over a potential transfer. Bayern are apparently interested in bringing the former RB Leipzig man back to the Bundesliga on a free. The German record champions have also been linked with Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi.
Guéhi, Konaté, and current Bayern professional Dayot Upamecano are all caught in a massive central defensive carousel. All three players – all of whom maintain sizable estimated market values – all sit on contracts set to expire at the end of the current season. Bayern remain in negotiations with Upamecano’s camp over a potential extension.
Matters look to get especially heated as the January transfer window approaches. Once the transfer period opens at the turn of the calendar year, the three players will be permitted to negotiate free transfers to other clubs at the end of the season. Palace, Liverpool, and Bayern can also negotiate sales to other clubs in order to “cash in” on the centre-backs rather than lose them.
Upamecano (€60m), Konaté (€55m), and Guéhi (€50m) happen to be the three most valuable footballers in the world sitting on expiring contracts. It remains doubtful that Bayern will be in the market for a new central defender if they succeed in their efforts to re-sign Upamecano, given how well the Frenchman is performing alongside German centre-back Jonathan Tah.
A potential central defensive pairing of Upamecano and Konaté might still prove attractive to the German giants. Konaté brings with him the experience of 66 German top flight appearances during his four seasons spent with the German Red Bulls. The Liverpool man recently sparkled during a return trip to Germany to take on Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.
