1 week ago
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Liverpool's hopes of signing Marc Guehi have taken a minor hit.
The Crystal Palace defender was on the Reds' radar during the summer transfer window, but a deal didn't come to fruition. Liverpool had agreed to sign Guehi from the Eagles on deadline day. However, as Oliver Glasner and Steve Parish locked horns over the England international's future, he underwent a medical in London.
The Palace chairman decided against losing another key player so late in the transfer window, having already sold Eberechi Eze to Arsenal, and consequently canceled the deal. Now, unless Guehi renews his contract at Selhurst Park, he'll be available on a free transfer at the end of the season.
For now, Liverpool can do nothing. From January, overseas clubs will be able to start pre-contract discussions with the Palace skipper; Liverpool, along with every other English club, must wait until he enters the final month of his contract in May.
Alternatively, Liverpool can make a transfer offer in January, but that would mean spending money on a player who would be available as a free agent just months later.
Sky Sports Germany reports that Bayern Munich's director of sport, Max Eberl, recently met with Guehi's agent, Gordon Stipic.
It's said that the Bundesliga champion is now in the running to secure the Englishman's signature, but it faces stiff competition from Liverpool and Real Madrid.
Bayern has set its sights on Guehi as a potential replacement for Dayot Upamecano, whose contract is also due to expire this summer. Any potential move for the Liverpool target could also depend on whether Kim Min-jae remains at the club.
Earlier this month, it emerged that Guehi has no plans to pen fresh terms at Selhurst Park. Speaking to journalists last week, Glasner confirmed: "I think Marc has already told us that he doesn't sign a new contract, so he will leave next year.
"The club wanted [him to stay]. They offered Marc a new contract. But he said, 'No, I want to make something different.' And that's normal. And for us, it's how we can deal with this situation? [What] is the best way to get this next step done? And that's all about how we are talking together."
Pressed on his future whilst away with England this month, Guehi kept his cards close to his chest. The ex-Chelsea center-back told the BBC: "I like to live in the present and I can't be thinking about the future at all because there is a lot of work to do, but also my future is in God's hands.
"Wherever God wants me to go, I will go, but that will be taken care of at the end of the season. As long as I'm playing well and helping Palace, there's definitely an opportunity for me to be here as I am today. Whether it's sorted or not, it's not really the most important thing to be honest.
"Personally, I don't know if I can think that far ahead. I like to just take it step by step, and that is just focusing on the games that I have at Palace and any upcoming opportunities I have here. When [deadline day] happened, it was all a blur.
"To be honest, I'm still the same young man trying to find his feet, find his way, trying to improve. There's so many experiences I can take, not just from that, but just the games that I've had over the last 12 months or so."
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