Liverpool are reportedly the ‘frontrunners’ to sign Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi, as per Football Insider.
The recently concluded transfer window saw the Reds sign Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Giovanni Leoni, Florian Wirtz, and Jeremie Frimpong. Moreover, Giorgi Mamardashvili has joined this summer, although his move from Valencia was finalised last summer.
Still, Arne Slot wasn’t fully satisfied with these numerous new signings, as he desired a new centre-back, with Guehi being the main target. The Englishman was even on the verge of moving to Anfield on deadline day, and even completed his medical.
However, the South London club blocked the deal at the last minute as they couldn’t find a suitable replacement for him. Now, Football Insider state that although Liverpool failed to secure Guehi’s service this summer, they are still ‘frontrunners’ to sign him.
The Merseyside club are in ‘open dialogue’ with the defender over this deal and are willing to sign him as a free agent next summer. However, they are also considering purchasing him for a fee of around £25m in January to beat competition in this race.
Guehi has been in tremendous form at Selhurst Park in recent years. After guiding Crystal Palace to win their first major trophy ever last term, he helped them win the Community Shield by defeating Liverpool at the beginning of this campaign.
Moreover, he has established himself as an integral part of the England national team, helping his country reach the final of the European Championship last summer.
Guehi to Liverpool
Ibrahima Konate and Virgil Van Dijk have been the first-choice centre-back pairing for Liverpool, while Joe Gomez and Leoni are the backup options. However, Gomez has struggled with fitness problems in recent years, and Leoni is still very young.
Konate’s future, on the other hand, is uncertain as his existing deal will expire next summer. Van Dijk, meanwhile, is set to turn 35 next year, so Liverpool need a new centre-back.
Guehi is a Premier League-proven player and has been showcasing signs that he can flourish at the highest level. So, he would be a great coup for the Merseyside club should they eventually manage to secure his services in January or next summer.
