Liverpool have opened talks to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace this summer.
The Premier League champions have had their focus on Alexander Isak over the last few weeks, but reinforcing their defence has always been on the agenda.
Virgil van Dijk is not getting any younger, while Ibrahima Konate could leave in the next 12 months, as there is no agreement on a new contract yet.
Liverpool need at least one new centre-back in this window, and Guehi would be perfect. But what if they can’t get him in the coming weeks?
Fabrizio Romano shares Liverpool’s plan if they cannot sign Marc Guehi this summer
Marc Guehi has entered the final year of his contract at Crystal Palace.
The England international is one of the best defenders in the Premier League, and he has been linked with a move to almost every top-six club at one point or another.
TBR confirmed that Liverpool have held talks with Crystal Palace to sign Guehi, but there is no agreement with the Eagles or the player just yet.
We told you that the Premier League champions’ interest is genuine, but they are not going to spend £40 million on a player whose contract expires in less than 12 months.
So, what happens if Palace don’t agree to sell Guehi for anything below their current asking price? Fabrizio Romano has the answer.
He said in a video on his YouTube channel: “So this deal could be done this summer to avoid the free transfer in 2026. If he’s not going to get done this summer, it’s going to be next summer on a free, for sure. Guehi will go to Liverpool.
“But Liverpool and Crystal Palace have a very good relationship, so they are trying to reach an agreement for this summer transfer window.”
Staying at Crystal Palace for another year could suit both Marc Guehi and Liverpool
In an ideal world, Liverpool would love to sign Guehi this summer.
The Englishman would fit really well in Slot’s team, but at the moment, he is likely to be behind Van Dijk and Konate in the pecking order.
With the World Cup coming up next year, the last thing Guehi would want is to not play every game – that could hurt his England ambitions.
As for Liverpool, the Reds might as well wait until July next year to sign the Crystal Palace star for nothing instead of paying a sizeable fee this month.
Crystal Palace would be the big losers if this happens, but at least they will have their star defender playing for them in Europe in the upcoming campaign.