John Barnes tells Marc Guehi his 'perfect club' between Liverpool and Man City

Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal are all expected to maintain an interest in Marc Guehi, whether he moves this winter or waits until his contract expires in the summer

Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.(Image: Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)

Liverpool legend John Barnes says Marc Guehi should pick the Reds over Manchester City or Arsenal, with all three clubs — and several big hitters around Europe — in for the center-back.

Manchester City has emerged as a contender to sign Guehi in the next few weeks amid an injury crisis at the back for Pep Guardiola, with Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner admitting that his club would accept a large enough bid for its captain just a few months after his transfer to Liverpool broke down at the last minute.

Guehi looked all set to move to Anfield in the summer before Crystal Palace pulled the plug because it hadn't signed a replacement. The player has since made clear, though, that he won't sign a contract extension.

As a result, Guehi will leave either in this transfer window or the next. Clubs outside of the Premier League can speak with him right now about a pre-contract agreement ahead of the summer.

"I’d love to see Guehi join Liverpool," Barnes told Covers this week. "January is never the time to make a transfer; it’s mid-season and it’s not healthy for players or clubs to make changes halfway through a campaign.

"Having said that, for Crystal Palace, letting Guehi leave would make sense because they aren’t in any danger in terms of their Premier League position, and this will be the last opportunity they get to bring in some money for Guehi.

Liverpool have firm competition to sign Marc Guehi this January(Image: Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

"Selhurst Park chiefs might decide to cash in on Guehi now to get £20m-£30m, rather than lose him for free in the summer.

"But given Arsenal have a lot of depth in the center-back position and Manchester City, aside from their injury issues, are not lacking talent in that area, Liverpool would make sense as a perfect next club for Guehi."

Guehi has been very professional for Crystal Palace since his move to Liverpool broke down. The number of options available to him has only grown since Sept. 1.

"I think Marc will stay, but if Marc says 'I want to leave', and a club pays massive money — with five months left of a contract — every player will leave if you're playing for a club like Crystal Palace," Glasner said earlier this week.

"I'm pretty sure our chairman will ask for a very high price for him and then let's see. I don't know if Marc wants to leave.

"If the offer would have been high enough that the club is fine with it and if Marc wanted to go, he wouldn't be a Crystal Palace player anymore.

"I think last January would've been the same and the year before would be the same. Every single player has a price where the club will sell him when you're Crystal Palace and maybe because we're not the end of the food chain in football."

Liverpool has signed the 18-year-old center-back Mor Talla Ndiaye and is in talks to bring in Ifeanyi Ndukwe from Austria Vienna. Both teenagers will join up with the Reds' U21s set-up.