Jamie Carragher already made feelings clear on Liverpool transfer alternative to Marc Guehi

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Liverpool will need to sign at least one center-back in 2026, with Jamie Carragher and Stephen Warnock on the same page regarding a teammate of Marc Guehi's at Crystal Palace

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher.(Image: Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Above any other position in 2026, Liverpool probably needs to overhaul its center-back department. Arne Slot has limited numbers in that area at the moment, and some big contract calls are coming.

As things stand, Ibrahima Konate is out of contract at the end of the season. Virgil van Dijk only has another 12 months on his deal beyond that, and Joe Gomez has been sidelined through injury or managed carefully when fit.

Last summer, Liverpool signed Giovanni Leoni from Parma, but he is set to be out for the remainder of the campaign. He has only played once and sustained an ACL injury.

But in the near future, more defenders are likely to be on the agenda, with Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi the most obvious option. He nearly signed for Liverpool in September, only for the deal to break down at the last minute.

According to the Daily Mail, fellow Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix has also previously been considered as an option at center-back by Liverpool. And two former Reds defenders are big fans of the Frenchman.

Jamie Carragher name-checked Lacroix as someone who just missed out on his Premier League Team of the Season so far, plumping for Guehi just ahead of him.

Crystal Palace's Maxence Lacroix during a press conference at the Crystal Palace Training Ground, Beckenham. Picture date: Wednesday November 5, 2025.(Image: © 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved)

"It was a tussle between Guehi and Lacroix, really," he said. "I'm really impressed with Crystal Palace. But I went for Guehi, he's got a few more goals as well."

Stephen Warnock is another pundit with a positive view of Lacroix, who has done very well under Oliver Glasner in the last 18 months or so.

"I think Marc Guehi would be a really good replacement," Warnock told Aceodds this week. "What you get from him is leadership and a player who has played on an international level.

"He has constantly been an outstanding player for England whenever he has been called up. He is very comfortable on the ball. He is not the tallest, but he uses his physicality to outweigh the lack of height. The way he reads the game is outstanding.

"I actually like Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace as well. I think he is a sensational player.

"What he has is an immense pace, and what that allows you to do is to go man for man with Van Dijk and Lacroix at the back. He has the physicality as well.

"I think if they were to sign either Guehi or Lacroix, they would be very happy with either choice. They are both brilliant defenders."

Liverpool.com says: Lacroix and Guehi are both excellent in the Crystal Palace system, but it is interesting that they are playing in a back three. That offers extra protection that they wouldn't have at Liverpool, though Guehi has proved he can play in a four while excelling for England.