Liverpool have opened talks with Crystal Palace over a move for England defender Marc Guehi, with their Premier League rivals supposedly very eager to cash in this summer
Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate in pre-season
Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate is now in the last 12 months of his contract
(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool have been told that Crystal Palace are eager to offload Marc Guehi, with the Eagles reportedly determined to make a profit on the defender. Guehi is into the last year of his deal at Selhurst Park and talks have now opened with Palace over a potential £35million deal.
And the Reds have also been told that the Palace star is a better player than Ibrahima Konate. Palace fan and broadcaster Rebecca Lowe has claimed the south London side are "desperate" to not lose Guehi on a free next year, with the Premier League champions set for a busy end to the transfer window.
Speaking on It's Called Soccer! with ex-Arsenal star Theo Walcott, Lowe believes that her beloved club have been shopping the centre-back, who they bought from Chelsea for £18m in 2021, to rivals as they look to bank a substantial amount for the England international while they can.
Doubts over Guehi establishing himself in Liverpool's first team have been an ongoing concern. However, Walcott believes the 25-year-old can oust Konate, 26, from his berth in Arne Slot's first XI, as he believes the Englishman has the advantage over the French star due to starting regularly for the Three Lions.
"I do [think Guehi is better]," Walcott began. "Because when you look at England particularly and you talk about the centre halves, we're talking about the two best centre halves in the country when you're starting for England, and he's starting for England."
Walcott's logic perhaps doesn't stack up entirely when comparing the players against an international metric. Guehi has played 23 times for England, matching the number of appearances Konate has for Les Blues, while the latter has also captained his country on one occasion in November 2024.
Virgil van Dijk and Marc Guehi could become teammates at Liverpool
Virgil van Dijk and Marc Guehi could become centre-back partners at Liverpool
Yet Walcott is convinced the deal is worth doing for the Reds as Guehi would make an instant impact. "For Guehi, he would fit into that Liverpool team and they have the ball all the time, so he's not going to be challenged as much," Walcott added.
"He'll get fitter, he'll learn so much. To play at Liverpool and be next to Virgil van Dijk, these opportunities might not come again."
Liverpool are eager to bolster their central defensive options having let Jarell Quansah join Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the summer. Van Dijk, Konate and Joe Gomez are their only three senior centre-back options as it stands, with Konate in the last 12 months of his contract and Gomez currently injured.
Rebecca Lowe and Theo Walcott speaking on the It’s Called Soccer podcast
Rebecca Lowe and Theo Walcott discussed Marc Guehi's potential move to Liverpool
Palace chairman Steve Parish admitted earlier this week losing the player for nothing would be a "problem" and that Guehi could depart during the ongoing transfer window. And that appears to be coming to fruition.
Liverpool have now made their move with discussions taking place over a deal for Guehi for a fee believed to be £30m up front with £5m in add-ons. Personal terms have not yet been agreed with Guehi.
But he's understood to be keen on making the move to Liverpool. The move for Guehi is believed to be in addition to Liverpool's pursuit of Parma centre-back Giovanni Leoni, with the Reds also ready to ramp up their interest in the 18-year-old.