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Liverpool reportedly has no intention of attempting to sign Marc Guehi during the January transfer window after missing out on the England defender on deadline day.
The Reds agreed a fee with Crystal Palace for Guehi with just hours remaining in the window, but the South London club pulled the plug on the deal at the eleventh hour over concerns that manager Oliver Glasner might quit the club were his captain to be sold against his wishes.
The Times says that Liverpool will not re-enter the market to sign Guehi mid-season, because he is set to be available on a free transfer next summer.
Guehi's current Palace contract is due to expire in 2026 and he has no intention of signing a renewal at Selhurst Park.
Liverpool lost a center-back at the beginning of July when Jarell Quansah was sold to Bayer Leverkusen, but Quansah was replaced with Giovanni Leoni from Parma, leaving the Reds with no urgent need to sign another center-back as things stand.
Meanwhile, The Telegraph says that other clubs are expected to rival Liverpool for Guehi's services, but the Reds are confident that the 25-year-old wants to move to Anfield.
There is said to be plenty of sympathy from Liverpool for Guehi's plight as the Merseyside club knew how much Guehi wanted the transfer, and there is no doubt from Liverpool's perspective that the transfer will still be on the table next summer.
Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus are all said to be keen on Guehi, whose stock has risen dramatically over the last 18 months.
From Jan. 1, 2026, Guehi will be free to sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club ahead of a free transfer the following summer, when Guehi would be likely to pocket a hefty signing-on fee on top of a lucrative contract, but all the signs at the moment suggest he will join Liverpool.
There is no suggestion that Guehi will refuse to play for Palace — a la Alexander Isak — when the club season resumes, but his frustration is understandable given how his deadline day panned out.
Palace boss Glasner had made no secret of his desire to keep Guehi in recent weeks. Speaking after Palace's 3-0 win against Aston Villa at the end of August, in which Guehi scored, Glasner said: "I told the chairman we have to keep Marc if we want to play a successful season.
"We have no chance to find the right replacement in one day. We all agreed that we just sell Marc if we have the right replacement in the building.
"We wanted a replacement by 1 July. It is 31 August and we have no replacement. We have this agreement so it is clear from me. He is such a crucial player. He is one of our key players - he is our captain."
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