While the news has largely been quiet over the past month regarding Liverpool’s potential recruitment of a new centre half, with Jarell Quansah having departed the club earlier in the summer and long-term fitness concerns surrounding Joe Gomez, a positional signing has seemed certain.
The only question has ever been when and who, and when it comes to the latter it’s long been clear the club’s preferred target is 25-year-old Crystal Palace captain and England international Marc Guéhi. The player would help the club on the homegrown front and could also be a relative bargain given there is only a year to run on his current contract.
Now, it appears Liverpool are close to getting that deal done following talks between the clubs, with widespread reports outlining a potential £30-35M deal inclusive of add-ons and the player said to be up for the challenge of competing for a starting role at one of Europe’s top clubs in a World Cup year.
That has been a question in the background from the first time Guéhi was linked with The Reds, given the player would be expected to arrive behind Ibrahima Konaté in the pecking order. If Guéhi isn’t put off by the prospect of having to earn his place, though, he seems an ideal signing from a squad building point of view.
His arrival also wouldn’t end Liverpool’s pursuit of promising 18-year-old Parma centre half Giovanni Leoni, who would remain a potential signing for this summer. However, Guéhi’s signing may open the possibility of buying the young Italian and leaving him with his current club for the 2025-26 season.