Marc Guehi has ambitions to still be playing at the age of 40, which will be of particular interest to Liverpool as they vie for the centre-back’s signature before the transfer deadline.
Liverpool have set their sights on the Crystal Palace captain to bolster their centre-back ranks, adding to the arrival of 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni.
They have yet to meet the £40 million valuation Palace have placed on Guehi, but there is an expectation that the two clubs will meet in the middle at around £35 million.
In an interview with BBC Sport, Guehi said if he could achieve one more thing in his career it would be to play until he is 40, which is in 15 years’ time.
“Obviously, winning trophies is great and playing in different competitions, but I think that’s the real testament to how professional someone is,” he explained.
“Obviously, there’s going to be injuries and that’s always unfortunate but, God willing, I can play for that long in a sport that is so fleeting.”
That longevity in football is not easy to find, and that mentality will be among the reasons Liverpool have identified the 25-year-old as a player they can rely on for the long term.
Guehi has already played 242 games at senior level for club and country combined throughout his career, vast experience that few clubs would turn down if offered the chance.
Liverpool’s oldest-ever outfield player was Eph Longworth, who played at 40 years and six months in 1928.
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He cut a relaxed figure throughout the interview as he discussed why he still lives at home, having friends in Liverpool and Manchester and his childish side away from the seriousness of football.
Oliver Glasner is not eager to let his captain leave this summer, but chairman Steve Parish has made it known that Palace cannot allow the defender to leave for free when his contract expires next year.
It is likely that any move will not be sanctioned until after their Europa Conference League qualifier second leg on Thursday, but in the meantime, Liverpool will be pleased with Guehi’s career goal.