Liverpool head coach Arne Slot instructs his players during the Community Shield.placeholder image
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot instructs his players during the Community Shield. | AFP via Getty Images
Liverpool and Crystal Palace could come together for a huge piece of transfer business
Interestingly, Liverpool’s previous two competitive opponents prior to the Premier League opening weekend were Crystal Palace. Following their recent encounters on the pitch, the two clubs could soon come into contact once again off it.
The Reds drew 1-1 with the Eagles at Anfield on the final day of the Premier League season before seeing defeat on penalties by Oliver Glasner’s men at Wembley in the Community Shield last weekend.
Both clubs are heading into the new season in good spirits following recent trophy exploits, but neither will see their summer transfer business as over with important days up ahead of September 1st’s deadline. Liverpool require a centre-back and are also interested in a certain striker, while the Eagles are in negotiations with multiple clubs over key members of their side and may need to react accordingly if sales are made. One such club is the Reds, who may have an ace up their sleeve which could provide a perfect solution to negotiations.
Liverpool and Crystal Palace swap deal would make perfect sense
Liverpool are in need of further options at centre-back after the recent sale of Jarell Quansah and continued contract issues with Ibrahima Konate. The harsh reality is that, as things stand, the Reds are one Virgil van Dijk injury away from a full-blown defensive crisis which could derail their hopes of defending the Premier League title.
Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi has been a top target for Arne Slot’s side for much of the summer. The England man is reportedly open to the move and with just a year on his contract remaining, the Reds have hoped to secure his signature for an affordable price. But reaching an agreement with the Eagles has not proven easy and the belief is that they are demanding too much considering that they may lose the 25-year-old for nothing next summer.
In order to help negotiations run more smoothly, Liverpool could offer Harvey Elliott in exchange for Guehi. The 22-year-old is not likely to be a key player under Slot and has been touted for an exit ever since the spring, though nothing has come to fruition as of yet. A move to Selhurst Park could be the perfect answer and solve major problems for both clubs.
Guehi and Elliott swap deal could be ideal for all parties
There is no doubt that Elliott could be just the player which Palace need. Their other major star who also looks to be close to an exit, Eberechi Eze, has attracted interest from both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, which continues to intensify as we near the end of the window. The ability to replace him with a ready-made, younger replacement in Elliott could help solve a major Eagles conundrum.
From Elliott’s point of view, Palace are competing in Europe this season which could be significant for the England U21 hero. It would give him the opportunity to not only showcase himself on the European stage, but shine and star for an Eagles side with a genuine shot at winning the Conference League. Should he impress, the chance at an even bigger move could end up on the horizon.
The structure of a deal would present the only obstacle. According to reports by Caught Offside, Liverpool are demanding £47.5m for Elliott from potential suitors - with his most likely destination currently looking like RB Leipzig. The issue is that this is near to the very price the Reds appear unwilling to pay for Guehi. Some compromise will need to be made by one or both clubs if this otherwise ideal transfer exchange is to go ahead this summer.
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