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Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool might rue its decision not to pursue Marc Guehi sooner during the summer transfer window following the collapse of his proposed move from Crystal Palace on deadline day.
The England defender completed a medical in London on deadline day after both clubs had reached an agreement on a £35 million ($47 million) fee for the international center-back.
Nevertheless, Palace manager Oliver Glasner remained adamant that he would only sanction a departure once a suitable replacement had been identified, and following the breakdown of Igor Julio's potential arrival from Brighton due to late intervention from West Ham, Guehi was informed his desired transfer was cancelled, with reports indicating the Eagles boss had threatened resignation if his captain departed.
Liverpool is now unlikely to make a January approach for Guehi, preferring instead to secure the England international as a free agent next summer and taking a transfer risk, as rivals could swoop for the player in January.
But Carragher argues the acquisition of the 25-year-old would have provided Arne Slot's defensive options with genuine quality and cover.
"There was a report from a couple of journalists, who are basically the best journalists on the beat, they did a story a couple of days ago saying that Liverpool would wait until next season to get him on a free, they wouldn't go in January," Carragher said on Stick to Football.
"So what I'm saying is they wouldn't write that unless they felt it was true.
"I think they will try and bring him in again. Listen, I am sure there's been a lot of talk between him (Guehi) and the agent and the top people at Liverpool and they have pulled the plug at the last minute and they say: 'Listen, we're still in for you...'
"But it sounds like it'll be more at the end of the season than January. Maybe (the fee) was £10m but they are like, 'No, we want you on a free.'"
Carragher added: "Liverpool always do what they see in their eyes as value for money.
"Might they regret that? Oh yeah, I think there's one situation with Liverpool, that's the one area... listen, they are three games in, nine points from nine, and probably not played that well, so we would probably all say they are big favorites, Liverpool.
"But that is the one area where that could come back and blow up in their face because they haven't really got that (cover).
"What Guehi was getting was giving Liverpool competition at centre-back. They haven't really got that. They've got two starters and two understudies.
"Joe Gomez, injury-prone himself, and the young lad from Italy (Giovanni Leoni), he is going to be a great prospect, but if you think if one of them had to play for a couple of months, it is a big difference."
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