Marc Guehi's move to Manchester City was believed to have come at the expense of Liverpool, who missed out on the English defender on last summer's deadline day. Guehi was at Anfield and even underwent a medical ahead of an agreed £35 million deal before Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner pulled the plug.
The 25-year-old appeared to still be on the Reds' radar and a possible target this January. A move to Merseyside was ruled out when City came calling, swooping for the Englishman last week.
Liverpool chose not to rival the Cityzens for Guehi, who has signed a five-year deal at the Etihad and is likely to become one of Pep Guardiola's starting centre-backs. But the defending champions opted not to pursue the former Palace captain for one reason.
Why Liverpool Chose Not To Swoop For Guehi
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Guehi was viewed more as "a bonus than a necessity", which is why Liverpool decided not to match City's offer or make a bid of their own this month. They had hoped to sign the former Chelsea youngster for free in the summer when his contract expired, rather than pay a fee months before he became a free agent.
That's according to James Pearce of The Athletic, who also suggested that the Reds saw Guehi as a "decent market opportunity" in the summer. Their main focus in strengthening Arne Slot's defence was to sign a young, talented centre-back with senior experience but room to grow.
Liverpool signed Giovanni Leoni from Parma for an initial £26 million, and the young Italian replaced Jarell Quanash, who left for Bayer Leverkusen. Senior club figures were "surprised" and "disappointed" to miss out on Guehi last September, but had no intentions of reviving their interest in him unless he was available for free in the summer.
This remained their stance despite Leoni suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament injury in a Carabao Cup 2-1 third round win over Southampton on his debut in late September. It's also said that the £20m fee City are reported to have paid for Guehi is "disingenuous."
Sources indicate that City paid the England international's agents a "significant commission" and the player's wages are worth a staggering £300,000 per week. This means the Sky Blues are paying around £85.8m on his salary alone, factoring in his contract length.
The bosses at Anfield weren't enticed by the overall package and felt it wasn't a smart move given their self-sustaining business model. That doesn't mean a new centre-back won't arrive on Merseyside either in January or in the summer, and the Reds have been linked with Borussia Dortmund's Nico Schlotterbeck as an alternative.
Where Guehi Would Rank in Liverpool's Wages
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah clapping
Premier League - Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - December 13, 2025 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah applauds fans after the match REUTERS/Phil Noble
Guehi would have been among the top earners at Liverpool if he joined on the same terms that City signed him on. This includes his purported £300,000 weekly wages, which the Cityzens claim are "significantly lower."
The Englishman would join Alexander Isak in third place on the Reds' wage bill, with the most expensive player in Premier League history also on £300,000 per week. He, of course, cost a record-breaking £130m when the Merseysiders signed him from Newcastle United on deadline day.
Mohamed Salah is the club's highest earner on £400,000 per week, having signed a new two-year deal back in April 2025. His longtime teammate Virgil van Dijk is just behind in second with wages of £350,000 per week.