Liverpool are admirers of Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi as they weigh up their centre-back options ahead of the new season
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Marc Guehi and Jarell Quansah of England look on during a training session at St Georges Park
Marc Guehi and Jarell Quansah of England look on during a training session at St Georges Park
(Image: 2024 Getty Images)
Liverpool are known for being opportunists in the transfer market. But opportunity can knock in a variety of ways.
This summer alone, the Reds have taken advantage of a relatively modest transfer release clause in Jeremie Frimpong’s contract to sign the Netherlands international for £29.5m. It is not the first time that Liverpool have signed a player in such a way in recent years, side-stepping any possible bidding wars in the process, and it won’t be the last.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, the Reds are smashing their transfer record to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m. The 22-year-old had long been expected to join Bayern Munich, while Man City were perceived to be his leading suitors in the Premier League.
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But after winning the title, Liverpool sensed an opportunity to sign one of the very best attacking midfielders in the world - and deal a blow to some of their European rivals in the process. After an impressive pitch, it soon emerged that Wirtz only had eyes for the Reds.
Likewise, Milos Kerkez only wanted to sign for Liverpool too. Having been brought to AFC Bournemouth by Richard Hughes, the Reds sporting director has made the most of such connections to lure the Hungarian to Anfield as the club continue to work on a £40m deal.
But now Liverpool could take advantage of another transfer opportunity as they weigh up their centre-back options, with Jarell Quansah closing in on a £35m move to Bayer Leverkusen.
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While the ECHO understands that the Reds are prioritising a young centre-back to replace their outgoing England Under-21s international, the club are relaxed and taking a more patient approach when it comes to finding the right player.
They would have signed a less experienced centre-back with huge potential both this summer and in the last two years, only to be left disappointed when it came to pursuits of Levi Colwill, Leny Yoro and Dean Huijsen.
But as one door closes, another opens. And that could see Liverpool instead move for a more complete package in Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi.
The England international is still only 24 and has just a year left on his contract at Selhurst Park, with the Eagles already planning for life without the centre-back as they instead move for Sporting Lisbon's Ousmane Diomande.
Guehi has a number of admirers, with Liverpool having been consistently loosely linked with the defender for a number of months. But that could now materialise into something more.
Newcastle United had as many as four bids rejected for the defender last summer, with the highest totalling £65m. But now inside the final year of his contract with Palace resigned to his exit, the Eagles are unlikely to be able to demand such a high fee.
While they will not be selling Guehi for peanuts, a deal could be arranged for a relatively cut-price agreement. With the defender being out of contract next summer, there is an opportunity for a club to sign the 24-year-old for a fee below what would be his normal market rate.
With Crystal Palace also known to be long-term suitors of Liverpool teenager Ben Doak, and having had a bid rejected in January, it will be curious if the Scotland international plays any role in negotiations.
After all, it would not be the first time that negotiations for one player opened the door to further deals. The Reds’ interest in Frimpong led to talks over Wirtz, as ongoing negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen in turn then led to the Bundesliga outfit’s swoop for Quansah.
Although not the tallest centre-back, standing at 6ft, Guehi has emerged as one of England’s leading defenders. He was the Three Lions’ star player at last summer’s European Championships, and captained Crystal Palace to their first major trophy in the FA Cup last month.
Set to turn 25 next month, his peak years are still ahead of him. Let’s not forget, Virgil van Dijk was 26 when he joined Liverpool back in January 2018.
There are some similarities between the Reds’ captain and Guehi. Both are right-footed centre-backs who play on the left side, and are actually comfortable with either foot.
A skipper of the England age groups and a stand-in captain at Crystal Place at 21, he is noted as a mature leader. Meanwhile, relatively pacey for a centre-back, Guehi’s composure, both on the ball and in defensive situations, and his positioning are regarded as two of his strongest attributes.
He is also comfortable on the ball, either carrying it out or playing it out long from the back.
Liverpool would also not need to look far for character references for Guehi, given he came through the Chelsea academy before flourishing on loan at Swansea City.
Former Reds academy coach Michael Beale took Guehi under his wing during his time as a leading coach in Chelsea’s academy. The two were from the same south east London estate and primary school, while the former Liverpool coach got to know the defender’s father, John - a minister, meaning his childhood often focused on religion and education over football - and even drove the young defender around the M25 to Cobham.
"He was a really shy boy but came to life on the pitch," Beale told Sky Sports last summer. "He was a hugely well-mannered young man. I can't think of too many stories of mischief!
"His discipline has been driven by the family but even when he was very young compared to the other boys he was always very focused, working hard in every session. He never missed a session that I can remember.
"He was always a defender. He was like a rash on the forwards, aggressive in the tackle. He liked to keep his game very simple and then pass it to the midfielders or into the forwards quite quickly and he hasn't changed from that.
"You see how aggressive he is 'locking down' and stealing possession. But he's very calm when he's defending."
He continued: “His reading of the game and his athleticism gets him a yard on his centre-forward. He shows a huge amount of confidence to play on the left side and his technical upbringing from Chelsea means he can use his left foot, albeit he is dominant on his right foot.
"When you see the teams line up, he's not the biggest centre-back but he has a huge leap. Quietly people are realising we have an absolute gem in him."
Meanwhile, Guehi first joined Swansea City on loan in January 2020, playing under another former Liverpool academy coach in Steve Cooper and alongside Reds loanee Rhian Brewster.
The 24-year-old will be a player Liverpool have been monitoring for a number of years throughout his career, long before he established himself as a leading Premier League centre-back. And they know all about the strengths of the Chelsea academy too, with Brewster, Dominic Solanke and Rio Ngumoha just three of the starlets they have snapped up from the London club in recent years.
Guehi now boasts 217 club appearances under his belt, with 132 coming in the Premier League, and has been capped 23 times by England. Meanwhile, he has made over 35 appearances in the English top-flight in three of his four seasons with Crystal Palace since being signed in an £18m deal from Chelsea.
He is a threat in the opposition box too, despite his shorter height, having scored three times last season - the same as the likes of Van Dijk and Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes.
Guehi would fit in at Liverpool and there is now an opportunity there to sign him. The only concern is could it be a case of the right player, but wrong time?
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The 24-year-old could be a natural successor for Van Dijk in the mid-term, but will not want to move to Anfield just to sit on the bench. Were it Konate rather than Quansah who was moving on, starting status would be there for the taking.
So, if Liverpool are to act on their interest in Guehi, it will all come down to their transfer pitch and the long-term plan they would present to the defender. If he is open to the move and backs himself to force his way into Arne Slot's starting XI, things could move quickly.
It is easy to see why the Reds have interest in the Crystal Palace captain, especially when he is there for the taking. But whether Liverpool are the side doing the taking and choose to take advantage of this latest transfer opportunity, only time will tell.