Liverpool face a potential knockout blow in their quest to sign Marc Guehi, with a report revealing how Lamine Yamal could have swung the transfer race in Barcelona’s favour, while Fabrizio Romano has made a very clear point on the future of the Crystal Palace star.
The Reds tried to add the England defender to their ranks on transfer deadline day, having struck on a £35m deal, plus a 10% future sale clause, with Crystal Palace over the 25-year-old. But as Liverpool were focused on pushing through another beat-the-deadline deal, for Alexander Isak, they received a call from the Eagles to inform them that the sale of Guehi was now off.
Despite that, the Reds are expected to come back in for the defender, especially given Crystal Palace do not want to lose their prized asset as a free agent next summer.
But with the turn of the year enabling Guehi to sign a pre-contract agreement with interested overseas sides, Liverpool are not expected to have it all their own way in the quest to land the talented centre-half.
Indeed, reports this week have suggested the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona will all make January moves to sign the 23-times capped England star, having been strongly attracted to the possibility of signing one of the Premier League’s most composed and stylish defenders as a free agent.
In light of that, SPORT now claims Barca are set to make a firm move for Guehi in January, amid reports that they have already been made aware of a huge advantage they have in the race as the departing Palace star ‘wants to play with Lamine Yamal’.
It is understood that Guehi ‘will not renew his contract and is interested in joining the young Barca talent’ and with the Catalan giants now ready to ‘move intelligently’ for a star who ‘fits the profile the Catalan club is looking for: experience, leadership, and an affordable cost.’
The report adds that ‘the player’s interest in playing at Camp Nou could tip the balance’ and his ‘entourage considers the idea of sharing a dressing room with Lamine Yamal, one of the young gems of European football and a symbol of the new Barca project, attractive’.
READ MORE 🔴 Liverpool told January deal for Marc Guehi is ON as Crystal Palace CHOP asking price
Fabrizio Romano drops Marc Guehi bombshell
Whatever happens next with Guehi, one thing that remains certain is that Guehi will not remain at Selhurst Park beyond June 2026.
Per our transfer insider, Fraser Fletcher, Guehi is devastated” and feels “betrayed” after his anticipated transfer to Anfield fell apart in the dying moments of the transfer window.
Gary Lineker also believes Guehi should not wait until next summer to secure his exit, having hit out at the Eagles for “using” the player on deadline day.
“If I were him [Guehi] now, I wouldn’t try to get the move in January, I would now wait until the end of my contract, which is next summer, and go on a free,” Lineker told The Rest is Football podcast.
“They’ve used him a little bit, there’s no question about that, I mean to take it that far, to go almost on the brink, he probably almost signed the contract, and then to be pulled back was tough on him.
“But, he’ll get a better deal for himself next summer, certainly financially, who knows if Liverpool will still be in for him at that point, somebody will be because he’s a class act and they also know that he’s a player they can trust as a human being.”
In the meantime, Romano has confirmed Guehi will rebuff all efforts from the Eagles to hand him a new deal.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, he stated: “First clear point: Marc Guehi will not sign a new contract at Crystal Palace. That is guaranteed. Guehi already informed Palace about that at the beginning of the window. He always wanted to be respectful. He’s always been a top professional.
“But at the same time, he’s not going to sign a new contract. It’s already been decided a long time ago. Palace are aware of that. So what happens now? He might leave in January for a transfer fee, or he could leave in the summer on a free transfer.
“On a free transfer, the interest from Liverpool will be there because Liverpool wanted Guehi, considered Guehi as an important defender and maintain Guehi on their list, that’s for sure. It’s not over between Liverpool and Guehi, I would say.
“But it’s also not guaranteed. At this stage, we can’t say 100 per cent that Guehi is going to Liverpool because what I’m hearing is that several clubs around Europe, not only in England, are considering a move for Guehi.
“He is seen as a big opportunity by several clubs. A top defender like this, available on a free, you don’t have to negotiate with Crystal Palace from January. That’s a big, big story, a big opportunity. Keep an eye on the situation because Liverpool will be there in the race, but now they will have competition.
“This summer, there was basically no competition because the player decided to go to Liverpool and there was an agreement. Liverpool will remain in conversation for 2026, but now other clubs can try to join the race and try to outbid Liverpool.”
Liverpool round-up: Howe comes clean on Isak; staggering 2027 transfer agreed
Meanwhile, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has broken his silence over the “challenging” saga around Isak’s departure to Liverpool this summer, revealing how it really impacted his players, while an early warning has been fired over the man signed to replace him at St James’ Park in Nick Woltemade.
Elsewhere, the winners of the battle to sign Rodrygo in 2026 has already been named, with Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez already deciding when a transfer can be done – and with the move set to hugely boost Thomas Frank’s Tottenham Hotspur.
And finally, Liverpool have a cast-iron plan in place to succeed Virgil van Dijk at Anfield with a future 2027 deal already said to be done.
Quiz ~ How much do you know about Marc Guehi?