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Liverpool had agreed a deal worth around $47 million (£35 million) to sign the Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi on transfer deadline day, but the move has broken down after Oliver Glasner's side failed to source a replacement.
The Selhurst Park outfit did bring in the 19-year-old French youth international Jaydee Canvot from Toulouse. However, the teenager was not viewed as an immediate successor for Guehi, the experienced England international.
Liverpool did not sanction a departure for Joe Gomez, who had interest from elsewhere. It signed Giovanni Leoni, the young Italian center-back, from Parma, and could return for Guehi in 2026.
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish was keen to get a fee for Guehi rather than risk losing him for nothing. But manager Glasner was insistent that his team could not afford to lose another key man.
Earlier in the week, Crystal Palace sold Eberechi Eze to Arsenal for a fee of around $91 million (£67 million). Losing Guehi as well would have been a hammer blow at such a late stage of the window.
Liverpool did submit a deal sheet to extend the time limit on getting a deal done. But Crystal Palace has since pulled the plug on an exit even though medical tests had taken place.
"I told the chairman we have to keep Marc if we want to play a successful season," Glasner told BBC Sport on Sunday after his side beat Aston Villa. "We have no chance to find the right replacement in one day.
"We all agreed that we [can only] 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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Guehi lifted the FA Cup as Crystal Palace captain in May and then repeated the trick when his team beat Liverpool at Wembley in the Community Shield a few weeks ago.
Liverpool plays Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the Premier League in a few weeks' time. The Reds will take on Burnley and Everton before that fixture as well as Atletico Madrid and Southampton.
Liverpool.com says: It is a shame for Guehi that the move hasn't happened but it could well be something that is returned to in the future.
Liverpool could sign him even more cheaply in the winter window or wait until next summer, though right now, he would be within his rights to feel aggrieved.
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