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What a summer it has been for Liverpool in the transfer window, and it was so close to having the perfect ending.
A window that has seen the Premier League record broken not once, but twice by the Reds has resulted in a side already holding the title of champions being transformed into something even more remarkable. Alexander Isak has now been added to a side that has already made a faultless start to the defense of its crown, and most recently beaten the side expected to be its main challenger.
It has been a near-perfect few days for Liverpool. Only one thing could have topped it all off, and the Reds couldn’t have come much closer to completing it.
The signing of Marc Guehi would have been the ideal end to an extraordinary window, and for a long time on deadline day, it seemed as though the Crystal Palace captain would be heading to Anfield. A $47 million deal was agreed, the medical was already underway, and the Eagles were on the verge of securing his replacement.
Then, with little more than a couple of hours remaining, everything changed. Suddenly, Igor Julio wasn’t heading to Selhurst Park, and the prospect of Guehi getting the move he so clearly deserves was in major doubt. As the clock ticked to 7 pm in the UK and the window closed, the deal sheet went through, offering one last glimmer of hope, but it wasn’t long before that was extinguished.
Liverpool’s interest in Guehi has been clear for a long time, but it was always a possibility that he wouldn’t sign this summer. In fact, earlier in the summer, most fans would likely have been expecting the usually frugal Reds to bide their time for a player that will be available for nothing in less than 12 months.
That Richard Hughes and Arne Slot were minded to strike early not only tells you how highly Guehi is rated at Anfield, but also what might have been in store for him had the move gone through.
Leaving Palace during a World Cup year might have been a risk for Guehi. Giving up guaranteed game time to join a club where he would face a fight for his place in the side might have had some questioning his place in England’s side next summer, although given Thomas Tuchel’s options in defense, those questions would have been ridiculous regardless of whether he was starting regularly for Liverpool or not.
But with no new contract forthcoming for Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez’s fitness proving a concern, and Giovanni Leoni’s inexperience maybe proving too big a risk, there would have been a big opportunity for Guehi to earn his spot alongside Virgil van Dijk.
Konate’s future in particular might have played heavily on the mind of Slot. If the Frenchman is to leave Liverpool next summer for Real Madrid, then the Reds boss would have been well within his rights to start looking at his replacement, just like he did with Conor Bradley and Trent Alexander-Arnold at the end of last season.
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That chance won’t present itself now until at least January, and if Palace weren’t willing to let Guehi go after having nearly three months to find his replacement, then what are the chances they’ll offload him in the New Year?
In any case though, Liverpool has laid down the groundwork. Guehi knows there’s a move to a Champions League side waiting for him, whether it’s in the next transfer window, or next summer.
And while losing Konate - a player that was being rated at up to $54M earlier this summer - for nothing would be a bitter blow, it may have already been softened by the knowledge that Guehi’s own price tag is only going to come down now.
Palace has a big decision to make - take whatever it can get in January, or face up to losing their star defender for nothing. Either scenario is a major win for Liverpool.
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