What Liverpool’s pursuit of three center-backs means for Marc Guehi transfer hopes

The Reds retain an interest in the Crystal Palace center-back after his failed summer move to Anfield, but has made moves for other defenders so far in the January window

Liverpool looks set to recruit three young defenders this month, all while retaining an interest in Marc Guehi(Image: Getty Images)

From the moment Marc Guehi’s deadline-day move to Liverpool fell through last summer, it was evident that talk of center-back recruitment was set to dominate the Reds’ January transfer window.

When Giovanni Leoni dropped to the turf a few weeks after Guehi’s aborted deal, clutching an injured knee that would keep him out for almost the entirety of the season, that situation was further exasperated.

Having hoped to call upon five center-backs this season, Slot has only had three at his disposal. Even more disconcerting, one of those - Joe Gomez - has had his only injury struggles, meaning Liverpool had just two first-team options in that role for three games over the festive period.

The concern is such that Slot was asked about his defensive reinforcements during Wednesday’s pre-Arsenal press conference.

“No manager would tell you they are completely happy they have only two centre-backs available,” he admitted. “We have to do smart things, and this club has always tried to do smart things to keep up with the teams we want to compete with. There's no difference now.”

The implication is that Liverpool will look to soldier on with its depleted numbers, even if January additions cannot be ruled out. Whether Conor Bradley’s potential long-term injury impacts that remains to be seen.

While Guehi may be the obvious solution for most, that may not be the case for the Anfield hierarchy. After all, the Crystal Palace center-back is an atypical transfer target for the club.

Guehi is being tracked by several top European clubs(Image: Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

Signing a 25-year-old from a fellow Premier League player isn’t really the done thing. Excluding Alexander Isak - an exception to Liverpool’s transfer rule in many senses - the Reds have not signed a Premier League player in the midst of his career since 2018, when Xherdan Shaqiri was lured from Stoke City.

Guehi is seen as a unique opportunity. An England starter who is available for a modest price given his contract situation. Whether Liverpool would sanction a January transfer for the England international is unclear.

Traditionally, the club targets younger defenders who offer long-term investments. The years of service provided by Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Gomez have all justified that policy, while there’s hope Leoni will fall into the same category.

Adekoya joined from Burnley this month(Image: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Indeed, January is a continuation of that approach, with Liverpool expected to add three young center-backs to its ranks. Noah Adekoya has already joined from Burnley after the 19-year-old impressed in two trial matches before Christmas.

Mor Ndiaye is close to joining him, while talks are continuing over a summer move for Ifeanyi Ndukwe. Both impressed in last year’s Under-17 World Cup and will bolster Rob Page’s options at Under-21 level.

Inevitable links have been drawn between the dearth of center-backs at senior level and the imminent arrival of three youthful defenders. However, Liverpool.com understands their signings are unconnected to the first-team picture.

Liverpool is closing in on the signing of Mor Ndiaye

All three will represent the Under-21s and, although there are hopes of them pushing into the first team in the future, boosting Slot’s numbers did not motivate the transfers. Indeed, that the signings happen to be in the same position as the first-team deficiencies has been described as a mere coincidence. Moreover, few teenage center-backs are given minutes in the Premier League.

It should come as a relief to Liverpool fans that the club is not seeking cheap, inadequate solutions to what is becoming a major issue.

Slot, Richard Highes and the powers that be must address that predicament in the coming weeks. The answer could define Liverpool’s 2025/26 season.

Both sides of the argument, on whether to stick or twist in January, have their merits, but allowing the Premier League champions to limp on with just six senior defenders is undeniably a huge risk.