Liverpool’s January window has not gone as fans might have hoped, with the low point being Marc Guehi’s decision to join Manchester City.
After failing to get it done last summer, it was expected that the deal with Crystal Palace would just be postponed.
But Man City swooped in for Guehi, and now it’s back to the drawing board for the Reds as they plan their summer defensive rebuild.
mail iconJoin our newsletter for news & smart analysis.
Liverpool will be furious that they let this one slip through their fingers. As for why it happened…
Federico Chiesa and Marc Guehi
Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images
Paul Joyce says Liverpool appeal has dropped from the summer
From what we know, Liverpool and Guehi had an understanding that they would be his next club.
But football is a fast-moving sport, and the state of play has changed. Man City are second behind Arsenal with a Premier League title still in reach.
Liverpool, on the other hand, are looking far less competitive.
Paul Joyce is running with that theory, as he writes for The Times: “It is clear Liverpool hoped Guehi would recognise the efforts they had made to sign him before Palace co-owner and chairman Steve Parish pulled the plug on a deal on deadline day and, in turn, waited for them until the summer.
MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES
“The flipside of that is that Liverpool are not as attractive a proposition now as they were then for any player.”
The finances of the situation also played a part.
He continues: “City’s reputed wage offer of £300,000 a week, in addition to paying an initial £20million fee, was a deal Liverpool were unwilling to match financially. They had no intention of bidding this month.”
BE HONEST: Which Premier League teams are more attractive transfer destinations than Liverpool?
Liverpool stock is low right now 🤔
Marc Guehi playing for Crystal Palace
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
👇 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say
We knew Liverpool weren’t going to make any big offer for the former Palace captain during this window, but Guehi’s decision to jump the gun is indicative of a player changing his mind about a project.
Liverpool have plenty of time to find the perfect centre-back
Now that Guehi is off the table, the next order of business is to find a suitable alternative, or two.
Micky van de Ven to Liverpool is a rumour that is picking up steam, but options further afield like Alessandro Bastoni and Nico Schlotterbeck should also be considered — all elite players who won’t come cheap.
Who should be Liverpool’s top centre-back target after missing out on Marc Guehi?
Micky van de Ven pictured during Tottenham Hotspurs' Premier League match against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park (Credit: Getty Images/Sebastian Frej).
Alessandro Bastoni warms up ahead of the Serie A match between Inter Milan and Torino at San Siro Stadium (Credit: Getty Images/Marco Luzzani).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Sebastian Frej/Marco Luzzani
👇 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say
Getting Guehi for free in the summer would have been a real coup, but it now has to be accepted that a large fee must be coughed up in order to secure the future of the centre-back position at Anfield.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox