Liverpool to take Marc Guehi transfer gamble with Man City ready to pounce

It's believed Liverpool and Arsenal are planning to wait until summer to pursue Marc Guehi on a free transfer when his Crystal Palace contract expires, but Manchester City is willing to do a deal this month

Liverpool could miss out on Marc Guehi(Image: Getty Images)

Manchester City is set to face little competition in its bid to sign Marc Guehi this month, with both Arsenal and Liverpool expected to hold off until the summer before making a move for the England defender on a free transfer.

Guehi, 25, has become a hot prospect for several of the Premier League's top clubs after his standout performances for Crystal Palace in recent seasons. The former Chelsea player, who was previously close to signing with Liverpool during the summer transfer window, now has less than six months left on his contract at Selhurst Park and has no plans to extend it.

It was widely anticipated that Guehi would depart the Eagles on a free transfer at the end of the season, especially given Liverpool's likely interest in reigniting its pursuit of him.

However, City is prepared to strike a deal for Guehi this month - and the club's readiness to facilitate a significant deal in the January transfer window rather than waiting until the summer could give them an advantage in securing his services.

According to The Athletic, Liverpool has deemed a January move for Guehi as unrealistic due to the financial implications of such a deal, particularly as the player could command a hefty signing-on fee given the lucrative options he would have as a free agent.

Instead, the Reds will concentrate on central defensive options in the summer transfer window, a period during which they could also lose Ibrahima Konate.

Max Alleyne of Manchester City celebrates scoring his team's first goal(Image: Getty Images)

Moreover, Arsenal's long-standing interest in the defender is unlikely to be pursued this month, with the Gunners also considering a potential deal in the summer once Guehi has left Palace, rather than a mid-season transfer.

The problem for both clubs is that their approach could give City an unchallenged chance to persuade Guehi to leave London early.

City is now prioritizing the signing of a central defender after wrapping up a deal for Antoine Semenyo.

Palace had agreed on a deal to sell Guehi to Liverpool in the summer before a last-minute change of heart.

The January window represents Palace's final chance to cash in on its captain.

It's been reported elsewhere that City is intent on securing a deal for Guehi this month and would be willing to match any other offers.

In the meantime, City has brought back Max Alleyne from a loan spell in the Championship with Watford.

The 20-year-old has made a strong impression after starting two consecutive games, including the 10-1 thrashing of Exeter City in the FA Cup, where the young defender found the back of the net.