Liverpool have stepped up their chase for the Crystal Palace captain
Liverpool target Marc Guehi in action for Crystal Palace
Liverpool target Marc Guehi in action for Crystal Palace(Image: Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Liverpool have stepped up their chase for Marc Guehi on the eve of a new Premier League season, opening talks with Crystal Palace for a transfer. Some fans in the Liverpool Echo comments section say that adding an elite centre-back is just what the club need to put the cherry on top of an exciting transfer window.
Guehi captained Crystal Palace to the Community Shield, but his future has been up in the air at the London club. He has one year left on his contract, and has made no indication that he wants to remain there with the Premier League's top clubs circling.
Liverpool have made the first move, pitching a package with a £30m guaranteed fee and £5m in add-ons to secure Guehi and shore up their defensive line. No personal terms have yet been agreed. Liverpool are also exploring a move for young Italian defender Giovanni Leoni.
Centre-back has been an area of concern for fans after selling Jarell Quansah earlier in the window, leaving Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez as the senior trio. An injury to one or more of those would leave Liverpool dangerously short, and could force the use of makeshift options like Wataru Endo.
Some supporters say that they're glad it's getting done now, to avoid a future crisis - even if Guehi would be free in a year's time. Reader Rich1503 says: "Waiting has made Palace realise they won't get £50m. Maybe they expected clubs to come in and start a bidding war, for some reason that hasn't happened.
"Considering Guehi is a quality player I'm surprised nobody has bid already, unless of course clubs have sounded out his agent and he's said no. Who knows but hopefully he wants Liverpool too."
Commenter DaretoDream thinks that he could be Van Dijk's eventual successor: "The way Virgil has played in pre-season, and the last few games of last season, maybe Guehi will get a bit more game time than we thought. He’s 34 and age catches up with everyone sooner or later. He’s still better than most and hopefully it’s a blip but it is concerning."
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Fidelis Fautor disagrees: "Even when Virgil has a 'bad' game he is still better than most of the central defenders in the world. I think Guehi will get rotated with Ibou more than Virgil unless Virgil gets injured."
Bluesaredeluded says: "Get him in the door ASAP, this fella was needed even before we sold Quansah."
Northwest20 writes: "I wonder if the penny has finally DROPPED. If we can see it, surely the club can, the central defence is a show."
Having Guehi could let Arne Slot experiment more, says Scorpio9: "Maybe play 3 at the back with VVD, Konate and Guehi, and Kerkez and Frimpong as wing backs?"
On our Facebook page, Svetoslav Sitev says: "That's what I am talking about, Marc Guehi is a top established defender to challenge Virgil and Konate. Great news. Leoni is one for the future. If we get Leoni, we will we send him back on loan to Parma or he will play. He is so mature for his age and aggressive on tackle. That's what we need."
Gary Kidson writes: "If we get Guehi, Leoni and Isak this has to be the greatest transfer window in the history of the Premier League!"
Tony Daly says: "This lad is 24, has captained a Prem club over 100 times, is a regular England international and will cost less than £40m. He's a top CB. Better than Konate, miles better than Quansah and in a couple of years he'll be ready to step into VVD's boots."
Have your say! Is it the right move to secure Guehi now instead of waiting a year for his contract to run out? Comment below, and join in on the conversation.