Liverpool star admits he was 'too afraid' to spend wages on cars, clothes or shoes

View 2 Images

Liverpool star Ibrahima Konate has admitted that he was “too afraid” to splash the cash after fearing criticism from his brothers. The French defender is at the heart of a transfer tug of war, with Spanish giants Real Madrid keen to sign him.

Konate is out of contract at Anfield next summer and Los Blancos are looking to seal his services on a free transfer. That could see the defender put pen to paper on an eye-watering contract at the Santiago Bernabeu.

While his future remains up in the air, Konate will not be splashing out either way, having admitted that his brothers kept his feet firmly on the ground despite his rise. “I became the player I am today thanks to each one of them“, Konaté admitted. “From my first steps at Paris Université Club twenty years ago to Liverpool , they have always been a fundamental help. I didn’t spend anything at all on hedonistic and personal pleasures. No new car, no clothes, no shoes. Nothing. I was too afraid they’d tell me I’d changed.“

And while Konate’s brothers kept him in check during the early years of his career, he admitted that they did encourage him to treat himself slightly - albeit the Liverpool man went slightly overboard.

He added: “I’m not going to lie to you: I overdid it a bit, especially with clothes.“

“You have no idea how much footballers need them [family]. Many people, more or less well-intentioned, roam around us. 95 % of them come because I’m Konaté, the football player, and not Ibrahima, the person.

“They want to take advantage of my fame, but they don’t really care about me (…) As soon as someone wants to approach me, they filter them out.”

View 2 Images

Will Konate join Real Madrid? Share your thoughts in the comments below

Konate, 26, started his professional career with French side Sochaux before a move to Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig. The defender made 95 appearances for the club ahead of a move to Liverpool in 2021.

He has gone on to make 142 appearances for the Reds, winning the Premier League , FA Cup and League Cup in that time. The current campaign could potentially represent his final season with Liverpool should he choose not to sign a new contract with the club.

In the meantime, Konate has given Reds boss Arne Slot a slight headache after his withdrawal from France duty with an injury.

A statement from the France national team on Saturday read: “Injured in the right quadriceps during his last match with Liverpool, Ibrahima Konate has followed a treatment and protocol since his arrival this Monday but will not be able to take his place against Iceland.”

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.