Liverpool could instead turn their attention to a Borussia Dortmund centre-back who is also wanted by Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid
Crystal Palace are set to cash in on Marc Guehi in January with Liverpool no longer frontrunners for the England defender’s signature.
After Guehi’s move to Anfield fell through in the final few hours of the summer transfer window, the centre-back was forced to stay at Palace, with his current contract expiring at the end of the current campaign.
Palace’s insistence on lining up a replacement before any sale was sanctioned scuppered Guehi’s Liverpool switch, and it was thought the Eagles were happy for the 25-year-old to run his contract down, get the most out of him, giving them 12 months to identify a successor.
The i Paper has been told, however, that Palace will now look to sell in January, given the interest in Guehi, to avoid losing him for free altogether.
They will look to move for replacements sooner, ensuring their impressive start to the season is not wasted.
It was assumed Liverpool would just move for Guehi again, in January or the summer, but The i Paper has been told Spanish rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid have tempted Guehi to consider a move abroad.
Bayern Munich are among a host of other European clubs looking to sign Guehi at the first opportunity, buoyed by the defender’s interest in playing overseas.
Sources added Palace will not sell on the cheap in January, as they remain under no financial pressure to sell, with Guehi’s performances anything but suffering as a result of him being tempted by so many elite clubs.
Some senior figures at Palace hoped their side’s fine Premier League form, putting them in contention for European qualification, might persuade Guehi he could fulfil his ambitions at Palace.
But The i Paper has been told there has been no such indication from the player himself and he still intends to seek pastures new at the first opportunity.
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Liverpool will almost certainly move for a new centre-back in January to provide cover for skipper Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.
A long-term injury to young summer recruit Giovanni Leoni forces their hand. Guehi will remain high on their list, but given the competition for his signature, the club’s hierarchy have had to widen their search.
The Reds see Borussia Dortmund centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck as a potential long-term replacement for Van Dijk. However, they will equally have to fend off competition from Manchester City, Bayern and Real Madrid for the Germany international, who has a contract until 2027.