1 day ago
5
Liverpool has been told to sign Marc Guehi in January despite the possibility of paying a premium fee for a player out of contract next summer.
The Crystal Palace captain was inches away from becoming Arne Slot's final signing of the summer but a $47million (£35m) move for the England star collapsed on transfer deadline day.
Palace chairman Steve Parish pulled the plug on the deal after the Eagles failed to sign Brighton defender Igor Julio, who opted to join West Ham on loan. Guehi has remained a Palace player with links suggesting the Reds would re-enter negotiations to sign the 25-year-old next summer.
It's since been confirmed by Palace boss Oliver Glasner that Guehi will leave the club next year after turning down offers of a new contract. The Chelsea academy graduate is able to sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club upon the opening of the January transfer window.
That possibility leaves the Reds potentially having to compete with Europe's premier clubs to secure Guehi's signature, with Barcelona, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich all reportedly interested in the defender.
While he'll have just six months left on his deal in January, Liverpool may not want to risk losing out on him, with ex-Reds midfielder Don Hutchison urging Slot to seal the deal for his main defensive target.
Speaking to Online Casinos, the former Scotland international said: "I mean it's a double-edged sword really, because they should have bought him in the summer, hands down. No question, you could have him for six years. They should have paid Palace £50 million, even, and got the job done.
"The trouble for Liverpool now is that unless they go really high in January for him, and by that I mean £25-30 million for a player with six months left on his deal, it’s hard. Because Palace might decide that they want to keep hold of him if they’re still in with a shout at European success.
"And it’s hard for the player, because at that point he can look at his contract and think maybe he runs it down and see who comes in for him as a free agent, for even bigger wages.
"You might see Liverpool return, but there’s Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester City and Bayern Munich. Everyone could be at the table. So Liverpool face a conundrum about whether they move for him, and when. And if they do, how much will it cost them?"
Slot could also be forced to enter the market in January due to Giovanni Leoni's long-term ACL injury. The 18-year-old was stretchered off the pitch in the second half of his Reds debut against Southampton last month.
The Dutchman is left with just Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, and Joe Gomez as his senior centre-back options in another season where the league champions are competing on four fronts.
English (US) ·