Ibrahima Konate has quietly become the world's most underrated defender

When Real Madrid signed Ibrahima Konate in the summer transfer window, they probably didn't realise how much of a game-changer he would become in the Spanish capital. Obviously, Real Madrid have had their fair share of free transfers in the modern era, but they oftentimes come with less expectation than the Galacticos.

Ibrahima Konate is flying under the radar as one of the signings of the summer, but that works to Real Madrid's benefit. They don't need people raving about their players during this critical rebuild - as long as Jose Mourinho appreciates what Konate is offering, that's all that matters.

In 11 of the 13 games Konate has played this season, he has not been dribbled past. This is the kind of defensive stature that Virgil van Dijk boasted, and William Saliba continues to boast.

I will hold my hands in the air and say that I'm an Arsenal fan - I come in peace, though. As Arsenal fans, we've come to appreciate the art of defending in recent years. It is the very thing that we needed to improve to save our club, and Mikel Arteta did it. It is perhaps for this reason that I'm so drawn to Konate.

While you will be hard-pressed to find an Arsenal fan praising Mourinho, it's the defensive element of his coaching that's always stood out to me. Obviously, he's been blessed with some of the best strikers in the history of the game, but his defence has always stood out above the rest. From John Terry to Sergio Ramos, many defenders have benefited from working under Mourinho. Heck, he even made Harry Maguire look good!

This isn't a ploy to say, 'hey, erm, Real Madrid, you don't need Saliba now, right?' Believe me, I would say that if it were the aim of the story. This is simply to give appreciation to a player I believe has flown under the radar this season.

Premier League fans saw Konate play week in, week out for Liverpool. He was mostly good, but nobody can deny that he turned bad towards the end of his tenure at Anfield. He became Liverpool's weak link, and it made many question why Real Madrid signed him. He only needed a few months to vindicate Real Madrid's signing.

Arsenal's attack hasn't been firing on all cylinders lately, and I think that gives Real Madrid a slight edge in the upcoming Champions League fixture. It's the most even the fixture has ever been, but with Konate in the form that he's in, it's hard to imagine a game where Arsenal break the deadlock.

All things considered, Konate was a successful signing for Real Madrid. He has come in, improved the defence, and fixed the mess at the back that Real Madrid previously had. Now, attackers genuinely fear facing the defence, and that's why Konate has become one of the world's most underrated defenders.

I could count on one hand the number of defenders better than Konate right now - that's a sentence I never imagined myself saying when he was playing for Liverpool.

So, yeah, I guess you don't need Saliba now, right, Madridistas?