Liverpool fear Real Madrid have turned Ibrahima Konate's head and act fast on transfer

Liverpool's concerns that centre-back Ibrahima Konate could be lured away by Real Madrid are fuelling their pursuit of Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi before the transfer window shuts.

This situation mirrors the drawn-out drama of Trent Alexander-Arnold running down his contract before making a bargain £8.5million move to the Bernabeu ahead of the Club World Cup earlier this summer, with Anfield insiders believing that Konate is keen to follow in the full-back's footsteps to Madrid when he becomes a free agent next summer, according to The Mirror.

Unlike Alexander-Arnold, however, the 25-year-old French international has seen a worrying dip in form - leading manager Arne Slot to prioritise signing England star Guehi as much as securing Newcastle's £150million-rated want-away forward Alexander Isak before Monday night's deadline.

Having conceded two goals in each of their opening two Premier League matches - and with Konate's performances against both Bournemouth and Newcastle causing concern at Anfield - the champions are set to intensify their efforts to secure both Isak and Guehi within the next 24 hours.

With less than a year remaining on his current contract, the Palace captain is also refusing to sign a new deal.

Liverpool are reluctant to shell out more than £30m for the 25-year-old, especially given the possibility of losing Konate on a free transfer next summer, just four years after they paid RB Leipzig £36m for him.

The Merseyside club has already snapped up Italian defender Giovanni Leoni from Parma for a cool £26m this summer, and the 18-year-old is tipped for greatness.

However, Slot is keen to add more experience to his defence, alongside captain Virgil van Dijk.

Given Joe Gomez's ongoing struggles following an Achilles problem picked up during Liverpool's pre-season tour of Asia, it's believed that Guehi could bolster their chances of retaining the Premier League title and making a strong Champions League run.

It's thought that Palace will be willing to negotiate once they've secured a replacement, with Manchester City's Manuel Akanji on their radar.

Konate will have the opportunity to prove his early-season slump is just a blip when Liverpool take on title contenders Arsenal at Anfield.

Arsenal's new £67m forward Viktor Gykores found his stride with a brace in the thrashing of Leeds last weekend, following a lacklustre debut against Manchester United.

Liverpool had to rely on late goals to secure victories over Bournemouth and a 10-man Newcastle after squandering leads in both matches - and Slot is a manager who values defensive stability.