It is being said that Liverpool are considering reinforcing their defensive options during the upcoming transfer window by potentially securing the signature of Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace.
Guehi presently holds the captain’s armband for Crystal Palace and was seen raising the Community Shield following their victory over Liverpool in the match that traditionally starts the English football season this past weekend.
Having just one year remaining on his current contract, it seems probable that Guehi will depart from his current club, either for a transfer fee in the current transfer window, or without a fee in the subsequent year. However, reports indicate that Liverpool intends to make a strong effort to acquire him before the transfer window concludes in approximately three weeks.
Liverpool to push to complete Marc Guehi transfer, personal terms agreed
Currently, Liverpool possesses a trio of experienced central defenders. Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, both recognized among FourFourTwo‘s top-rated central defenders globally, were in the starting lineup for the match against Crystal Palace at Wembley. Joe Gomez was absent from the game due to an injury.
During the pre-season, several players including Ryan Gravenberch, Wataru Endo, Andy Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas, and even Trey Nyoni have filled in at that position. Nevertheless, Arne Slot and the management at Anfield are keen on bringing in a specialized player for that role before the closure of the transfer window.
According to an update from The Daily Mail, Liverpool is expected to make a significant effort to finalize a deal for Guehi, with the club prepared to offer around £40 million to acquire him. The report also suggests that Crystal Palace is seeking a fee of £45 million, indicating that the two clubs are not too far apart in their estimations of the player’s value.
TEAMtalk has reiterated their understanding that personal terms were agreed upon as early as the beginning of July, suggesting that if a transfer fee can be agreed upon, the transfer process could proceed relatively swiftly.
There were earlier suggestions that Chelsea, from whom Crystal Palace initially signed Guehi, might also be interested in re-acquiring the 25-year-old, particularly after Levi Colwill’s ACL injury. However, it is believed that Chelsea’s priority lies in reinforcing other positions during this transfer window.
Guehi is not the sole central defender that Liverpool is monitoring, as Giovanni Leoni of Parma is also attracting considerable attention from the Anfield club.
According to FourFourTwo, securing this transfer should be a top priority for Liverpool. While Virgil van Dijk has a relatively good record with injuries, the same cannot be said for Gomez and Konate. The team is potentially just one injury away from facing a defensive crisis.
Guehi would offer immediate competition to Konate, who is also in a somewhat precarious situation, and could potentially become Van Dijk’s preferred central defensive partner should he consistently perform well.
Transfermarkt currently estimates Guehi’s value at €45 million.
