Liverpool predictions for 2026 revisited after Marc Guehi transfer howler

With Liverpool gearing up for what will be a crucial couple of months to end the season, we've taken a look back to see how our predictions for 2026 are fairing, with some mixed results

Liverpool won't be getting its hands on Marc Guehi in 2026 after all(Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool faces a crucial couple of months when Arne Slot and his players reconvene following the international break - and it may well shape how the rest of 2026 looks for the Reds.

With their place in next season’s Champions League still in the balance, and at least one big name leaving in the summer, this year looks set to be a big one, even if it doesn’t go exactly according to plan.

Back at the very start of the year, our writers Matt Addison and Michael Plant made their predictions for how 2026 would look for Liverpool, with some, shall we say, mixed results already.

We’ve taken a look back at our Liverpool.com predictions for the year to see how they’re shaping up…

Wirtz ignites?

What we said: "We've seen glimpses of what Florian Wirtz can do, but I'm backing the German to really put down a marker in 2026. He has the potential to be a Premier League Player of the Year at some point. It won't be this season, but he can still reach those levels.

"Liverpool went big on the 22-year-old for a reason: to spearhead the era that comes after Mohamed Salah in its attack. It kind of feels like there has been a changing of the guard already, but that process is still ongoing.

"Wirtz is a truly world-class operator and he is still getting used to the Premier League. When he has had a full season to adjust, then a pre-season, the 2026/26 campaign could be when he really comes into his own."

Liverpool will be hoping Florian Wirtz kicks on for the remainder of 2026(Image: Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)

Verdict: It remains to be seen whether Wirtz will live up to the big ambitions Matt has for him, and whether he will take the Premier League by storm next season as he has predicted.

It hasn't been a stellar first year in England so far though. We have seen a few glimpses of just what he's capable of, and he did seem to be gaining some momentum at the turn of the year.

That seems to have been slowed down a little by injury, not to mention Slot regularly changing his position. Based on what he's been doing during the international break though, hopefully he will come back firing for the remainder of the campaign, and we can really see what he's capable of this year.

Guehi signs?

What we said: "While Crystal Palace probably made the best decision for its own season in keeping Marc Guehi on transfer deadline day in September, you do have to wonder how different things might have been for Arne Slot's side had Liverpool got the deal done.

"Several big clubs around Europe are keen (especially with the prospect of Guehi moving for free in the summer), but Liverpool surely has an advantage. In the player's head, he was pretty much a Reds player last summer.

"Guehi will have the pick of the best teams in the world when his Crystal Palace contract expires. Moving to Liverpool makes sense, though, and Slot's men will need to sign at least one center-back in 2026. The smart money appears to be on Guehi."

Verdict: Ah. Our first real howler here.

In fairness to Matt, Guehi signing for Liverpool made perfect sense. After all, he'd only had a medical a few months before!

The decision not to pursue him again in January was odd to say the least. You can understand the reasoning to some extent, considering he was set to be available for nothing in the summer, but letting him go to Manchester City without a fight after almost nabbing him a few months earlier was bizarre.

We'll only truly know how bad a decision that was at the end of the season, but with options already low at the back right now, it's not looking like a great decision on Liverpool's part.

Reds resurgent?

What we said: "Liverpool has certainly stabilized after its disastrous autumnal form, which saw the team lose nine of 12 fixtures. A run of seven without defeat and some significant improvements from individuals over recent weeks mean that things are looking a little rosier heading into 2026, but Slot’s final press conference of the year was a reminder of how there’s still much to improve on.

"The Dutchman discussed the team’s set-piece deficiencies and predicted his team would gain cohesion in the coming months as the summer signings become more settled. I’m minded to agree, and think Liverpool will kick on in the second half of the season. A top-four finish seems likely, yet a title tilt looks impossible. On the other hand, should Liverpool click and gain momentum heading into the final months of the season, then expect a deep run in the Champions League - perhaps this team even has the capability to go all the way."

Arne Slot is under pressure as Liverpool continues to struggle(Image: Liverpool FC, Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Verdict: That unbeaten run feels like a long time ago now. Rather than kicking on from there, we're now seeing the Reds getting booed off as their season threatens to go off the rails.

It's only really Chelsea being even worse that is keeping Liverpool in the race for Champions League qualification, and even then it looks as though it will have to rely on the Premier League getting an extra place in the competition again.

A deep run in the Champions League is still possible, so we'll give Michael that, but given what we're being offered up on a regular basis, there isn't much reason to feel confident of getting past Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals.

Serious questions are being asked about Slot now. He might still be able to salvage something positive from this season, but right now, he and his players are only damaging their reputations.

End of an era

What we said: "Sorry to bring a sour note to this mainly upbeat set of predictions, but 2026 will inevitably see a major update on Mohamed Salah’s future. The fallout from the Elland Road mixed zone debacle hasn’t truly ended yet. Slot and the club’s executives will likely look to draw a line under the saga when he returns from the Africa Cup of Nations in January, and a mid-season exit seems unlikely.

"The summer could be a different story, however. The winger, whose output is slowly on the decline, turns 34 at the end of the season. He will have a year remaining on his lucrative deal and it could represent the final chance for Liverpool to earn a transfer fee for the player. Fans may wince at the thought, but 2026 could well be the year they bid farewell to one of Liverpool’s all-time greats.

"Likewise, Andy Roberston could be in the same boat. The left-back nearly left last summer but opted to stick around and fight for his place in the team. Ultimately, it’s a battle he has lost, and it’s difficult to envisage Robertson remaining for another year and continuing to play a back-up role."

Mohamed Salah will leave Liverpool at the end of the season(Image: Getty Images)

Verdict: Well, we know now that Salah will indeed be leaving Anfield in the summer, so we can already say we've got that right. Well done Michael!

Liverpool and Slot have managed to patch things up with Salah for the most part, but his performances have just continued to decline. It was therefore somewhat inevitable that he would depart at the end of this season, even if the eventual announcement was something of a surprise.

As for Robertson, we'll have to wait and see, but it does look as though he will be on his way out. That is a real shame, considering he still looks as though he has something to offer this side, even if it is just a back-up to the improving Milos Kerkez. The writing feels as though it's on the wall though after he came close to joining Tottenham in January - he's probably glad he stayed put now.

Summer transfers

What we said: "We can expect a quieter summer in 2026 than the chaotic transfer window of 2025. Given the spending last year, in theory, fewer positions need to be addressed. The reality is a little less straightforward for Slot’s lopsided squad. One significant area that may require attention is the center-back position. Ibrahima Konate could walk away for free, Joe Gomez is ready to call time on his Anfield career, and there are no guarantees that Giovanni Leoni will be fit to start the new term.

"It’s no exaggeration to say that Liverpool could need three new additions at the heart of defense, especially if there are no January arrivals. Marc Guehi is the obvious transfer Liverpool would like to complete, while Jarell Quansah, who continues to impress for Bayer Leverkusen and has a buyback clause in his contract, could be a simple addition to make."

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes still has plenty of work to do in the summer transfer window(Image: Getty Images)

Verdict: It certainly seems as though we won't be getting another summer like last year, but based on what we've seen from Liverpool this season, there is a lot of work that needs to be done in the summer.

Even with Jeremy Jacquet on the way, Liverpool still needs to bolster that defense. Konate looks like he's on his way out, and you wouldn't really expect Gomez to hang around for too much longer.

Obviously Guehi is out of the question now, and Liverpool might be minded to wait another year before deciding whether to buy Quansah back, when he will be available for cheaper and the club can make a better judgment on whether he is the right man to potentially replace Virgil van Dijk.

Not only that, but Salah's departure has just added a lot more importance on getting a new winger in. We won't see as much money being thrown around, but that won't excuse Liverpool from having a quiet summer in the transfer window.