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Liverpool will need to dig deep into their pockets if they hope to secure the signature of Marc Guehi in January. The Reds will face stiff competition for his services, with European heavyweights such as Real Madrid and Barcelona also keen on snapping him up as a free agent in the summer.
Manager Arne Slot is desperate for defensive reinforcements in the upcoming transfer window to steady the ship after a rocky start to their Premier League season. A renewed bid for Crystal Palace's captain could be on the cards, but it would require a substantial fee for a player who only has six months remaining on his current contract.
Guehi, 25, has already informed Palace that he won't be renewing his contract, but he's earned the admiration of the club's supporters for his professional conduct throughout the situation.
Liverpool's previous attempt to sign him for £35 million ($45.9M) on deadline day in the summer was unsuccessful, but he remains firmly on their radar as they seek to bolster their defense. Alarmingly, they've let in 20 goals in just 12 matches, leaving them with a goal difference of minus two.
While they came close to securing a deal less than three months ago, they now have to contend with increased interest from abroad. From January 1, Guehi's foreign admirers — including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan — can begin negotiations with him, and he can sign a pre-contract before the season concludes.
Free agents often command higher wages, and both Real Madrid and Barcelona are aware that Guehi holds an Ivorian passport, which means he qualifies as an EU player in Spain.
Palace will need to weigh up the potential loss of Guehi on a free transfer in the summer against the reduced fee they could receive in January, not forgetting his value to the team due to his high-quality performances.
Liverpool might need to match their previous summer offer to entice both Guehi and Palace, despite his contract nearing its end.
However, former Anfield legend Jamie Carragher recently suggested that Liverpool should make every effort to secure his signature in January.
Speaking on the Overlap, Carragher stated: "Liverpool need to spend in January, they need to buy a centre-back, they should have bought a centre-back in the summer.
"Liverpool are probably one injury away at centre-back from really derailing the season, so they have to go to the market in January. I do feel that they did need to bring that number of players in during the summer."
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