Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has advised teammate Ibrahima Konate to turn down the opportunity of joining Real Madrid.
The France international, who has been linked with a move to the Spanish giants, will have his current contract expire at the end of the season.
Speaking with the club’s website, Van Dijk described Konate as a world-class defender and urged him to remain with the club.
“We are friends, we speak about everything.
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“It’s a process and let’s see what comes out of it. It’s never that easy. We saw with my own situation last year so it’s never that easy that we can just say ‘let’s get it done’.
“Obviously I want him to stay.
“He’s an important figure on the pitch. That’s what everyone sees but off the pitch as well, he’s one of the leaders. He’s outstanding and in my eyes, a world-class centre back.
“I can do only so much but it’s in the club’s hands, together with his agents and himself so let’s see what comes out of it but I have no influence otherwise on that.”
