Steven Gerrard 'hurt' by Liverpool transfer failure after Arne Slot missed out on two 'bargains'

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Liverpool was linked with moves for both Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo, but both players ended up joining Manchester City again and could end the season in winning fashion

Steven Gerrard wishes Liverpool had signed two players who ended up at City(Image: 2026 The FA)

Steven Gerrard said that it hurts to see Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo shining for Manchester City after Liverpool missed out on signing the duo.

Liverpool was heavily linked with Semenyo and Guehi, even getting as far as agreeing a deal to sign the latter on deadline day last summer – only for Crystal Palace to renege on the agreement at the 11th hour.

Guehi spent the first half of the season at Palace, and when City came calling in January, he ended up moving to the Etihad Stadium.

Semenyo also joined City in January after displaying excellent form for Bournemouth during the first half of the season, and has continued to show his quality in Manchester.

City took advantage of the contract situations of both players at their previous clubs: Guehi had just six months remaining on his Palace deal, allowing City to sign him for an initial fee of just £20 million ($27 million), while there was a buyout clause in Semenyo's Bournemouth contract which allowed him to leave for an initial £62.5 million ($84 million) fee.

Both players were relative bargains, but Gerrard wishes that they would have ended up at Liverpool instead.

“They should be playing for Liverpool, so that hurts even more," Gerrard said.

"We were linked with two of those players and that would have made a big difference to Liverpool.

“But I’ve said it before on record. Two top, top players. And for the price that they got them in as well.

"One on a free. One was, you know, £60 million. In today’s market, they’re two bargains. They’re two bargains.

Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi joined Manchester City(Image: 2026 Getty Images)

“Quality players, experienced, ready to go into the prime years of their career. International-level players. And what they’ve done is they’ve just helped kick City on at the right time.”

Guehi and Semenyo have started in every Premier League game that they have been available for since joining City, and their introductions to the team coincided with a huge upturn in form for Pep Guardiola's side.

Semenyo suffered defeat in his opening game for the club, as City lost the Manchester derby in January, but the 11 league games since have seen City record eight wins and three draws, putting them firmly back in the title race.

Semenyo also won the EFL Cup – a competition Guehi was cup-tied for – while both players have played their part in City reaching a fourth successive FA Cup final.