After weeks of intense speculation, multiple reliable sources have confirmed that Chelsea have tabled a concrete offer for Ibrahima Konate, the Liverpool defender who has been catching the eye this year. The bid signals the first move in what could be intense negotiations - with the team said to be reluctant to let an important player go unless his valuation is met. Arsenal, Barcelona and Bayern Munich remain in the background, but for now, Chelsea are leading the way in ongoing talks. Defensively, Chelsea are sitting around the league average this season, at 1.29 goals conceded per game. Someone like Ibrahima Konate could keep them steady but also raise the level when it matters most. Liverpool have also been linked with Vinicius, Cesar Tarrega and Sam Beukema while Chelsea are reportedly monitoring Mikel Jauregizar Alboniga, Ian Martin Subiabre and Mickey van de Ven. Want to see how the story develops? Stay tuned to PlayerSwitch for more news and transfer rumours just like this one.