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Former Liverpool winger Stewart Downing, who is now employed as the Reds' Global Talent Scout, believes the club will get a deal for Marc Guehi over the line before the transfer window closes on Monday.
Liverpool saw a $47 million bid for Guehi rejected on Saturday, with Palace holding out for an initial $47 million plus an extra $7 million in add-ons.
It remains to be seen whether Liverpool will comply with Palace's demands ahead of the deadline, but Downing's prediction is that Guehi will be a Reds player come 7pm BST on Monday — while he also thinks Guehi's prospective arrival could trigger the departure of another player.
“It seems like Liverpool have been chasing Guehi for quite a while," Downing told Flashscore who offer the latest sports betting apps. "The little clip in the tunnel during the Community Shield was interesting with the little handshake and the wink, maybe a conversation has gone on somewhere along the line.
"I think he's a quality player and being left-sided would help because Van Dijk, I know everyone thinks he can play up to 45 [years old] but he can't and there's a lot of games to play. Could they rest him too in the Carabao Cup and other games that are less important to keep Van Dijk fresh for the big games? I think he'd be an unbelievable signing for that alone.
“I thought they were going to get him last summer actually when they were linked with him quite a bit. Konate’s situation is going to be difficult because if he keeps turning down contracts, Liverpool are going to have to get to a point where they're selling him.
"Like Trent, once he's got a year left, he's going to have to go now or in January. We could see a surprise departure this summer for him, you never know.
"Right at the end of the window they'll just go, actually he's not going to sign, let's just get rid of him after signing Guehi, or maybe signing Guehi puts the pressure on Konate? Does he really want to leave or is he using this situation as leverage to get a better deal?
“I've got a sneaky feeling that Konate might leave and Guehi’s a very good replacement, isn't he? He's not a bad player and I think they'll get him for a decent price. I think it’ll definitely happen. If it's not now, I think it'll be January.”
Downing believes that Slot views Guehi as a possible long-term replacement for Van Dijk, who is nine years older than the England international.
“I think he's obviously a player they want to sign and he plays on that left side, doesn't he?" Downing said. "I think Slot will probably see Guehi as a long-term replacement to Van Dijk but for right now he'll just see it as another option. He'll just take it year by year, manage his squad.
“He'll come in, he could play left or right side. He could actually fill in at left back if there's a crisis. Signing good players who can play two or three positions helps a lot because even Kerkez has come in who could probably fill two positions, left centre-back or left back.
“I think Guehi would be coming in as the cover and I can say in a couple of years time he will probably be Van Dijk’s successor, I can see that yeah.”
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