Ibrahima Konate: Real Madrid take incredibly BOLD step
It's no secret at this stage that Real Madrid want to sign Ibrahima Konate. It no longer seems like much of a secret that Konate wants to join Real Madrid.
That's the line out of Spain, anyway, and has been for quite some time now. The Frenchman's contract expires at the end of the season and Los Blancos smell another potential free transfer.
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It's a repeat of the Trent Alexander-Arnold saga, of course. That saw Alexander-Arnold string Liverpool along for at least a year before 'eventually' deciding to sign for Real Madrid.
They're trying the same strategy, convincing Konate that they're the ultimate destination and making it near-impossible for the Reds to agree a new contract. And it appears to be working in back-to-back years.
However, there's a twist here. Things are different this time around and it means Real Madrid have taken a bold new step.
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Real Madrid leave squad space for Ibrahima Konate
Marca reports that Real Madrid are leaving a squad space open in case Konate joins them in this transfer window. That involves leaving Franco Mastantuono with their Castilla side for a bit, as they did with both Vinicius and Rodrygo.
So could a transfer actually happen this summer? Yes, actually.
Real Madrid are a bit desperate after finishing last season trophyless. Their defence, in particular, looks sub-par, with Dean Huijsen, still a young player and one who hasn't been a player in a leading side before, their best option.
They may well reach a point where success looks difficult to achieve without an elite addition there. Konate, with just one year remaining on his contract, would be far and away their best option.
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Manchester United vs Arsenal: The mood, transfer window, hopes for the season and predictions
Manchester United host Arsenal on Sunday in the pick of the games from the opening weekend of the 2025-26 Premier League season. Ruben Amorim's home side will be desperate to prove they have been transformed over the summer following a truly abysmal domestic campaign and Mikel Arteta's team are looking to go one better after three consecutive second-placed finishes in the top flight. To get you in the mood, The Athletic asked one of our United writers, Mark Critchley, and Arsenal counterpart James McNicholas for their insights before the game at Old Trafford. Mark Critchley: The impact of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's cost-cutting measures was still being felt over the summer, with more football-focused staff let go at the end of the season. Others departed voluntarily, and some are only staying around until replacements are found. The hope at United is that the club are now past the worst of all the upheaval of the past year, and that those who remain can truly call the renovated men's training building at Carrington their place of work. Ratcliffe cut the ribbon on the £50million ($67.8m) facility last week. It is certainly an upgrade on the Carrington of old and a symbol of what United believe will be a fresh start. Advertisement James McNicholas: Perhaps the most significant change is that Arsenal now have most of their key players fit again. In the second half of last season, they were without Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel and others for significant periods. There has also been significant incoming transfer business, including the addition of centre-forward Viktor Gyokeres. It's fascinating that this game could see him line up against fellow striker Benjamin Sesko — at the start of the summer, many believed the latter would sign for Arsenal, and that Gyokeres would end up reuniting with Amorim after working together at previous club Sporting CP in Lisbon. Critchley: It has been quietly impressive. Matheus Cunha's £62.5million signing from Wolves was a relatively straightforward deal and was finalised early. The same could not be said for the pursuit of Bryan Mbeumo, which lasted 44 days and ended with Brentford earning a guaranteed £65m, but in the end, United secured their two priority targets. Sales were said to be needed before they could make further additions, but there was always the possibility that Ratcliffe borrowed to spend and drew down on the club's revolving credit facilities. Sesko has filled the priority position at centre-forward for an initial €76.5million (£66.1m; $89.5m), despite no permanent exits and formidable competition for the RB Leipzig striker from Newcastle United. But outgoings are still necessary, especially after Amorim ostracised five players — Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia — to form a so-called 'bomb squad'. So far, only Rashford has departed, to Barcelona, and even that is only a loan. McNicholas: Arsenal's incoming business has been good. A deal for midfielder Martin Zubimendi was formally completed in July, but had effectively been agreed months before. The long hunt for a new striker ended when Gyokeres joined for a €63.5million upfront fee, plus €10m in potential add-ons. Arsenal have also added depth by signing Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera. Advertisement The wildcard signing is arguably Noni Madueke. Bought from Chelsea for an initial £48.5million, the England international provides Arteta with another option on either flank. As with United, Arsenal are prioritising sales in the final part of the window. Reiss Nelson, Fabio Vieira, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Karl Hein are all available. Critchley: More positive than you might think. Amorim and his players have regularly spoken of a bond developing in the camp this summer. Yes, you would expect them to say that on the eve of a new season, but talk to those around the club and it largely checks out. Having exiled the out-of-favour five, Amorim is now working with a group of players who are fully aligned with his vision. United's results and performances in pre-season have been broadly positive. Can such optimism survive a tricky set of opening fixtures? United's worst finish of the Premier League era last season leaves little margin for error. And though their summer spending is proof that Amorim has the hierarchy's support, it also shows how critical it is that he avoids a repeat of his first campaign in charge. McNicholas: The mood is good, especially after the comprehensive 3-0 win over Athletic Club in their final friendly of pre-season. Expectations are high, however. The Emirates Cup that the club won after beating the Bilbao side last Saturday is not going to satisfy supporters. After falling short of major silverware in each of the past five seasons, there is definite pressure on manager Arteta. Arsenal have a very challenging start to their Premier League campaign — including this trip to Old Trafford — and they need to come through it without sustaining too much damage. A few bad early results, and all that hope and anticipation could easily bubble over into something more negative. Advertisement Critchley: It was 32 points last season. The only time it has been bigger in the Premier League era was 1994-95, when United finished 37 clear of Arsenal (though that was in a 42-game campaign). United were runners-up that year. Arsenal finished in the bottom half for the first time in a long time, and also lost a European final. The parallels are there if you want to go looking for them. Arsenal were still three years away from winning their next title — the timeframe United have set for 'Project 150', their target to be crowned champions again by 2028, in line with the club's 150th anniversary. It is a very different league three decades on, but United could catch up quickly. We are still talking about the second- and third-placed clubs from just three seasons ago. McNicholas: The gap is a gulf. For someone raised on the title races between these clubs in the 1990s and early 2000s, it was surreal to see United so close to the foot of the Premier League last season. Amorim has been granted more time after his mid-season arrival. One wonders if Arteta's journey at Arsenal strengthened United's conviction to stick with their new manager. The Spaniard had a dismal period in the winter of 2020 when he got the job, but the board kept faith. Ultimately, that loyalty has been rewarded by Arsenal's return to the Champions League and their improved capacity to challenge for silverware. United will hope Amorim can follow a similar trajectory. Critchley: The obvious answer is Bukayo Saka, who could have a lot of joy down United's left if Patrick Dorgu plays as high up the pitch today as he has during pre-season, which could potentially leave Luke Shaw to deal with Arsenal's most potent open-play threat. Set pieces have to be considered too, though, especially as United conceded the joint-fourth-most in the league from dead balls last season, including two in the Premier League fixture at the Emirates. Jurrien Timber and William Saliba were the scorers that December night, but Gabriel is typically more dangerous, and scored after the breakdown of a corner in January's FA Cup meeting. Advertisement McNicholas: Even when United have been at their lowest, the quality of Bruno Fernandes has shone through. His decision to stay this summer after interest from Saudi Arabia provided them with a considerable boost. If Sesko starts, there will naturally be a huge media focus on his performance. Arsenal tracked his progress for years and deliberated over signing him this summer, before ultimately plumping for Gyokeres. United's great threat may come on their right-hand side. Myles Lewis-Skelly and Riccardo Calafiori occasionally leave space in behind on Arsenal's left, and Mbeumo and Amad have the speed and quality to exploit that. Critchley: I've gone back and forth between Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City all summer, but I'm leaning towards Arteta's side to be champions. As much as everyone banged on about not having a recognised striker, and though a signing like Gyokeres was obviously needed, injuries, sendings-off and a creative over-reliance on Saka were as much a part of their downfall last season. Maybe they run into some of those issues again, but you could chalk most of them down to bad luck. And if they avoid those pitfalls, there is a stable, familiar foundation for Arteta to work with at a time when Liverpool and City are having to rebuild. McNicholas: Full disclosure: I have no idea. So much depends on what kind of progress the squad have made in understanding and implementing Amorim's system. My gut tells me United will be a top-half team again, though I'd be surprised if they finished in the Champions League qualification places. Somewhere between sixth and 10th feels most plausible to me. Critchley: We all know by now that Amorim is not going to budge from his 3-4-2-1, and all of United's summer business has been geared towards filling its roles and responsibilities. Cunha and Mbeumo have been signed to play as the left and right attacking midfielders respectively, which is likely to see Fernandes drop back into midfield. All three started up top together in the pre-season meeting with Everton, though, and could do so again if Sesko is not deemed ready for his debut. Advertisement Amad is also likely to be repositioned this season as a result of Mbeumo's arrival and could see more minutes at right wing-back than he did last term, although this could be the type of contest where Diogo Dalot's defensive solidity is preferred. McNicholas: It'll be Arsenal's standard variation on a 4-3-3. The improved depth at Arteta's disposal means he will have options in a variety of positions. He can choose between Lewis-Skelly and Calafiori at left-back, and Ben White and Timber on the opposite side of his back four. A midfield of Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard picks itself. The most intriguing decision is whether Arteta deems Gyokeres ready to play from the start. He scored in that final friendly against Athletic Club, and the manager may be tempted to go with the Swede — especially after Havertz suffered a minor injury last week, which disrupted his pre-season preparation. Critchley: A repeat of the 1-1 draw in the corresponding fixture in March. Amorim's setup has frustrated 'Big Six' opponents in the past, even if his 10 matches against those clubs across all competitions last season only resulted in one United win (two if you include beating Arsenal on penalties in the FA Cup). McNicholas: Arsenal are the better side but history shows that doesn't always translate into results. A draw is a good bet, a result could suit both clubs. I'll go for a 2-2. 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New York Times
an hour ago
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How Liverpool's new defensive fragility was exposed by four Bournemouth chances
Two late goals from Liverpool in the opening fixture of their Premier League campaign papered over some very big defensive cracks. Federico Chiesa's first league goal for the club, scored on 88 minutes in front of the Kop, and a strike from Mohamed Salah six minutes later snatched back a win at home against Bournemouth on Friday that Arne Slot's side had threatened to surrender. Advertisement 'Without the ball, it's very good eight out of 10 times,' Slot said of their pre-season before the match. 'But the aim at this club is not eight out of 10 times, it's 10 out of 10. That's the fine-tuning we still need to find defensively.' Bournemouth exploited weaknesses that had been evident during Liverpool's pre-season friendlies and in the Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace — giving up too many counter-attacks and being vulnerable to crosses and cutbacks. The arrivals of Jeremie Frimpong (from Bayer Leverkusen) and Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth) bring massive attacking upside, but plenty of defensive risk. They are creative, attack-first full-backs, much in the mould Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson once were under Jurgen Klopp. But their profiles bring an issue of balance, which was shown within six minutes. Midfield pinball ensues from a Djordje Petrovic long pass to right-winger Antoine Semenyo, who was Bournemouth's main out ball when Liverpool pressed high, targeting Kerkez aerially. Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott dispossesses Virgil van Dijk and Semenyo secures the loose ball. He passes inside to Marcos Senesi. Note Salah's positioning. Slot lets him 'cheat' and stay high when his side are defending or pressing. This demands more from Liverpool's right-back. Dominik Szoboszlai presses late. Senesi releases left-back Adrien Truffert, who escapes beyond Salah on his blindside. Frimpong is pinned by David Brooks' run. Truffert carries upfield without pressure and hits an early cross, because Szoboszlai must recover over a big distance (see Salah's position). While Kerkez tracks Semenyo's run towards the box, he turns it into a physical duel, grappling and trying to step across him, rather than defending the cross — back-post defending is a long-standing weakness for Kerkez. Truffert's cross is perfectly placed — Liverpool's high line offered plenty of space — and Semenyo crashes the box. Under some pressure from Kerkez, an off-balance Semenyo fires over the bar. Later on, just before Liverpool scored, Bournemouth created a chance down the other side. A collection of imperfect individual actions allowed Bournemouth to create a cutback. First, striker Hugo Ekitike is positioned slightly too narrow. He then presses too passively. Central midfielder Tyler Adams has dropped between the centre-backs, who split wider, finding routes around Liverpool's mid-block. Bafode Diakite steps out. Evanilson times his run in behind Liverpool's high line, and is played onside by Kerkez, who has dropped off in anticipation of Diakite's through ball. Note how wide Cody Gakpo is, focused on Bournemouth right-back Adam Smith and outside the vertical line of the ball. It leaves Kerkez isolated, particularly with Semenyo dropping off. Evanilson does well to keep the ball in, and Liverpool do not react. Kerkez is too square and is nutmegged as Evanilson finds Smith on the underlap. Gakpo does not track the run. Look at the three-v-three on the far side of the box, as this becomes important momentarily. Smith skips away from the covering Alexis Mac Allister and pulls a cutback towards the penalty spot. Ibrahima Konate is tight to Scott, but Frimpong loses track of Brooks, who steps over the ball. Liverpool are fortunate that Marcus Tavernier scuffs his shot straight at Alisson. Szoboszlai, who is caught ball-watching, ought to have spotted the late-arriving midfielder. It was through one of these early, low crosses that Bournemouth made it 2-1 on 64 minutes. Slot had just subbed off Frimpong and Kerkez, perhaps recognising the profiles that the game did and did not need with a two-goal advantage. Temporarily, Wataru Endo came on at right-back, with Robertson on the opposite side. Bournemouth launch a counter from Szoboszlai trying to backheel Salah's pass towards Florian Wirtz. Two-v-one against Szoboszlai, Scott blocks the pass and Adams comes out with the ball. Liverpool have no midfielder ready to counter-press (see Mac Allister's position above) and Adams sets Brooks away. Konate is out wide, covering for Endo, and is poorly positioned. Robertson, while quick, cannot outpace Semenyo on the far side. This means that Brooks can find Semenyo with an early cross, almost identical to the chance Truffert provided for him five minutes in. This time, Semenyo hits it at Alisson, but the effort bursts through the goalkeeper's parry and into the net. 'Normally, you can complain about our players not sprinting back hard enough, but they did,' Slot said in the post-match press conference. 'The only thing you need to do better — in an ideal world — is where do you lose the ball? 'Losing the ball with a trick if you're 2-0 up is not necessary. Maybe if you're 1-0 down or you really need a goal and you want to force something… but in that moment it's not the way to lose the ball.' Defending crosses has been a problem for Liverpool over the past two seasons — around one-quarter of the league goals they conceded last term were from crosses. Such was Bournemouth's threat that Van Dijk's 17 clearances (and 13 headed ones) were his most in any match for Liverpool. But an issue defending counter-attacks — a real problem in 2022-23 under Klopp — has reemerged. The first half had ended with Liverpool counter-attacking after defending a Semenyo long throw, then that move broke down and Bournemouth immediately transitioned the other way. Then, later, came the visitors' equaliser. Advertisement 'The second goal, we are a team that likes to attack, that wants to score goals,' Slot said. Liverpool's head coach singled out individual mistakes again for Bournemouth's second goal of the night. 'Rest defence was in order the moment we lost the ball,' he said. 'We were two-v-one against their No 9, but instead of what Mo (Salah) usually does — crossing or shooting — he squared it just behind.' The problem is not the coverage on Evanilson, but Liverpool having eight bodies forward and not finishing the attack. It left them without a midfielder to press Hamed Traore, or go with (or foul) Semenyo, who was the release valve. The result: a four-v-two Bournemouth breakaway. Neither Van Dijk nor Konate felt they could commit, and no tactical foul was made. WOW! Antoine Semenyo with an incredible solo goal to equalise for Bournemouth at Anfield 😍⚡️ — Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 15, 2025 Konate inadvertently opened the angle for Semenyo's low finish by stepping across when the Ghana international shifted the ball back onto his left foot. It was a percentage play as Bournemouth had two runners over on the left — and a potentially higher-quality chance if Semenyo had passed. 'Credit to the other team with how they sprinted with many bodies to the box,' Slot said. 'The best way is to not lose the ball. If you do lose it, then lose it with a shot — so it ends in a corner kick or a goal kick — but not at the penalty area, or where Dominik lost it.' Some 'fine-tuning' might be needed, Arne. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
‘Not ideal' – Fulham's Marco Silva and the Premier League coaches frustrated by a lack of signings
Benjamin Lecomte is undoubtedly a fine goalkeeper. The 34-year-old Ligue 1 stalwart of Lorient, Monaco and Montpellier fame arrives in the Premier League with a wealth of experience and with the promise of doing a fine job warming Fulham's bench for most of the season. However, with the greatest of respect due to Lecomte, for him to be your club's only signing in the 2025 summer window to date at the cost of £500,000 must be underwhelming as a Fulham supporter. Or enraging if your name is Marco Silva. Advertisement In the 73 days since the transfer window first opened on June 1, Fulham haven't signed a single player for their first XI, the only Premier League club not to do so, with Lecomte their only addition to date. In fact the biggest signing Fulham have announced this summer, in a move that only Fulham could make, is adding Moet Hennessey (no, not Wayne's brother) as an official champagne, rose and cognac partner. Cheers! Silva isn't known for keeping his opinions to himself as he didn't mince his words at Thursday's pre-Brighton press conference. 'It's not an ideal scenario,' Silva stated on the eve of the season, before adding that Fulham play in white shirts and that the sky is blue. 'I didn't expect us to be this passive. I knew what I wanted and the plan was there but it hasn't happened. Right now we need to reinforce. In some positions we are very short. 'Did I expect it? Of course not, but the market is the market.' The market is indeed the market and Silva is by no means the only Premier League manager to state dissatisfaction at the heel-dragging of their club's owners and/or recruitment teams. In fact no fewer than a quarter of the league's bosses have gone public with varying degrees of volatility at their respective situations. Here's Nuno Espirito Santo of Nottingham Forest, speaking even as Forest bankrolled a club record £37million deal to buy Omari Hutchinson from Ipswich Town: 'Dealing with doubts is the worst thing you can have in football. 'We have doubts, who is going to be (here), when are they (new signings) going to come? All these things create doubts. 'We have to understand, but I cannot hide I am worried. This is the reality and I deal with the reality. Should I be over the moon? Totally opposite.' Forest have since signed James McAtee from Manchester City too and are pursuing other deals. Advertisement Yet a succession of opening press conference for the new campaign carried all the optimism and positivity of a dentist's waiting room. Here was Enzo Maresca about wanting a new centre-back to replace the injured Levi Colwill at Chelsea: 'The club know exactly what I think — I think we need a central defender. We are looking for an internal solution but as I said, the club know exactly what I think.' Vitor Pereira piped up with some more market chat as he reflected on Wolves being down on numbers having signed three players to replace the five who left at the start of the summer. 'It's been a strange market this summer, it didn't move a lot, we had the Club World Cup,' he said on Friday. 'I don't like to wait, but this is a reality.' Then on Saturday before watching his team being thumped 4-0 by Manchester City, Pereira added: 'Today is not the day to complain about what is missing.' Maybe Sunday, then? Crystal Palace, like Fulham, arguably haven't strengthened their first XI either, signing only Croatia international Borna Sosa from Ajax as competition at left wing-back, as well as back-up keeper Walter Benitez. You can imagine Oliver Glasner, with a European campaign ahead of him for the first time in Palace's history, will be privately seething at the lack of business. In public he said last week: 'If you're thinking like this (about waiting to buy players), you make a mistake. Then you're always reacting to situations. You can't run a business where you're always reacting. 'You can but you'll never have long-term success. You have to be active and plan what's going on. 'You can't say we wait and then on the 28th, if we qualify for the Conference League group stage, then we act. We don't think like this. 'If we want to be better than last year, then let's sign at least two players.' Many of the Premier League big boys, i.e. the ones with gigantic revenues and few PSR concerns, got their business done early, with Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea buying 13 first-teamers between them by July 6th at a combined outlay of around £500million. It has taken time for that money to recycle around the market and those towards the bottom end of the Premier League food chain have had to be patient, while also performing PSR juggling acts, even at a high-flyer like Aston Villa where sell-to-buy is their new reality. Advertisement Of the clubs still waiting to do some proper business, Silva's disquiet at Fulham is among the most legitimate — and is the one that could have the biggest consequences, given his contract, like Glasner's at Palace, expires next summer. Fulham's line up for their opening day draw at Brighton was very familiar; Bernd Leno in goal, Joachim Anderson at the back, Sasa Lukic in midfield, Raul Jimenez up front and Rodrigo Muniz in the super-sub role of netting a late equaliser. New season, same names. Not that there was a huge amount wrong with Fulham's 2024-25 squad (from which they lost Wilian, whose contract expired and Reiss Nelson, who went back to Arsenal after his season-long loan, although there are suggestions Fulham would like him back). However, it was clear to anyone who watched the Cottagers stutter to a finish of 11th in May having been four points off a Champions League spot in March (and in an FA Cup quarter-final) that the squad needed both beefing and freshening up. Evolution, not revolution, but something. Winger Kevin from Shakhtar Donetsk would add said fresh beef, but Shakhtar have rejected a €30m bid from Fulham for the 22-year-old, who scored nine goals last season. All of which leaves some fans — and possibly Silva — questioning the ambitions of owners who recently bankrolled a £350million refurbishment of Craven Cottage's champagne and hot tub stand, AKA the Riverside stand, but haven't (as yet) given Silva, undoubtedly one of the best managers Fulham have had, any new players to work with. What's that old Premier League adage? Stand still and you move backwards? There are also concerns that Muniz is about to be sold, with Leeds United among the clubs to have expressed an interest this summer. Muniz is a rare example at a club that tends to buy ready-made first team players of Fulham developing a young talent. To lose him would be a blow. 'Rodrigo Muniz we want you to say' they sang in the away end at Brighton on Saturday. Fulham's fanbase don't come across as a reactive, provocative bunch, but in the worse case scenario of Muniz leaving and new signings still not forthcoming, their patience would be tested. Advertisement It's not all bad by any means — 18-year-old academy graduate Josh King had a fine game at the Amex, showing composure, poise and some serious quality as he continuously dovetailed with Alex Iwobi, drove Fulham into the box and marked himself out as a Premier League star in the making — while Kenny Tete and Tom Cairney were tied down to new contracts. Fulham won't go down, but unless the next two weeks are fruitful, it's asking a lot for them to go up the table, no matter how good their back-up goalkeeper is. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
