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Liverpool will not pay over the odds to sign Marc Guehi this summer, as the Reds are aware that they will be able to sign the 25-year-old on a free transfer in 12 months' time.
The Reds have spent freely since the window opened, bringing in Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremie Frimpong, with a move for Alexander Isak also on the cards. Arne Slot's squad is in need of reinforcements in the center of defense due to Jarell Quansah's move to Bayer Leverkusen, as well as the constant uncertainty surrounding Joe Gomez's fitness.
Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, and Ibrahima Konate are the only senior center-backs in Liverpool's squad, and Guehi has long been linked with a move to Anfield to bolster Liverpool's options.
BBC Sport reports that Palace is believed to want around $53 million for Guehi, but Liverpool wants to pay a lower amount due to the player's contract situation at Selhurst Park.
As things stand, Guehi will become a free agent on July 1, 2026, and there is no indication that the 25-year-old is interested in signing an extension with the club.
However, Liverpool will only entertain a move for Guehi this summer if it believes that the deal represents good value.
Competition to sign Guehi would undoubtedly be fiercer for Liverpool next summer, considering he would be attainable for free.
Guehi has established himself as one of the best center-backs in the Premier League over the last couple of seasons, and if he were to stay at Palace and continue on his current trajectory, he could have his pick of clubs next year, when more lucrative contract offers would also likely be on the table for the Chelsea academy graduate.
Liverpool's need for a new center-back this summer was underlined over the weekend as Gomez flew back from the Reds' pre-season tour in Asia due to an Achilles inju ry.
Gomez has a reputation for being injury-prone, and his 2024-25 campaign was ended at the beginning of February by a hamstring injury he sustained in an FA Cup game against Plymouth.
Addressing Gomez's latest setback a few days ago, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot said: "He was, of course, with us for the first part of the week, but he had some Achilles problems.
"We thought it was better to assess it back in England and for him to work on him to come back to the team, probably in more ideal circumstances for him than be part of the group that every time goes out.
"So, we decided to let him go back to England. But we hope and expect to have him back soon."
Irrespective of when Gomez returns, it's clear that Slot cannot hang his hat on Gomez due to his fitness record, and Liverpool obviously cannot afford to go into the new season with Van Dijk and Konate as its only other center-backs.
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