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Liverpool has been informed that it has "blown" its chances of securing Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi's signature.
That's the verdict from former Liverpool midfielder Don Hutchison, who believes the center-back has become essential business in the January transfer window.
The Reds were on the verge of completing a £35 million ($46 million) agreement for Guehi on transfer deadline day, only to watch Palace withdraw from negotiations at the final moment after its own pursuit of Igor Julio collapsed, with the defender instead joining West Ham from Brighton. Guehi's contract expires next summer, and he remains a target of considerable interest on Merseyside.
However, Hutchison, who made 60 appearances for the Reds between 1991 and 1994, insists Arne Slot cannot delay until the campaign's conclusion to secure the England international.
"They’ve blown their chances of landing him," Hutchison told SportsCasting.com. "One million percent. I mean, I'd love to be a fly on the wall at Liverpool when they didn't get the Guehi deal done.
"Let's just say Crystal Palace wanted £45 million. Liverpool should have given them £50 million, because they're going to have Marc Guehi for six years. They should have just paid the money.
"When I compare Liverpool to Arsenal, I see two proper men and two proper guys that won't be bullied in (Riccardo) Calafiori and (Jurrien) Timber, alongside (William) Saliba and Gabriel.
"So you've got four center-backs across there. If Marc Guehi was at Liverpool now, he'd be playing at left-back and you'd be (Ibrahima) Konate, (Virgil) Van Dijk, (Conor) Bradley and Guehi, and you’d be thinking, crikey, that’s pretty versatile.
"Liverpool should have just paid Palace whatever they wanted. I think it was a poor move. They were so focused on signing (Alexander) Isak.
"I understand that, because you can’t turn it down, but Guehi had to be the other priority.
"This January has to be the marker with Guehi if they want to finish in the top four.
"They need to try and pull out all the stops to land him in January because by the summertime, I think he’ll have plenty of options to choose from, and they could be more attractive to him and his family."
Regarding Ibrahima Konate, who finds himself out of contract next summer, Hutchison continued: "I'd keep Konate from now to the end of season because he's a good body to have around just in case Virgil got injured, or if Guehi signed and took a knock.
"If Guehi went to left-back you would still need Konate. I'd keep him around until the summer, and if he wants to move on a free transfer, then Liverpool will have one or two irons in the fire to try and replace him."
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