Liverpool won’t pursue a transfer for Marc Guehi in January but will wait until next summer, prominent Merseyside journalists have reported.
Following Liverpool’s collapsed attempt to sign Guehi from Crystal Palace, some fans expected the Reds to go back in for him in January.
However, the Times‘ Paul Joyce wrote: “Liverpool will not revisit their interest in Marc Guehi in January and would only now sign the Crystal Palace centre-back on a free transfer next summer.”
While interest from other further parties could theoretically get in the way – Man City, Juventus and Barcelona have all been mentioned – the Telegraph‘s Chris Bascombe reported that Liverpool “see the referencing of other clubs as a bluff to bring them back to the table on January 1.”
With the 25-year-old’s contract expiring at the end of the season, it makes sense that Liverpool would wait to bring him in, rather than spend a considerable sum in the January transfer window.
However, many would argue Liverpool could do with Guehi in the squad now, given Joe Gomez‘s poor injury record and Giovanni Leoni‘s inexperience leave the Reds with just two regular centre-halves.
Bascombe added: “Guehi would have been a replacement for Gomez rather than Ibrahima Konate, although the French defender finds himself in an identical position to the Palace skipper, now in the final year of his deal.”
Liverpool’s bid for Guehi of £35 million plus a 10 percent sell-on clause had been accepted by Crystal Palace on deadline day, but the Eagles went back on their agreement upon being unable to secure a replacement for Guehi in the market.
Chairman Steve Parish decided to pull the plug, with manager Oliver Glasner reportedly threatening to resign if Guehi was sold, having repeatedly said in the press that his captain would have to remain at Selhurst Park.
Why Liverpool could always afford to wait for Marc Guehi
• Read Jack Lusby’s piece in full here.
“Leoni is yet to feature for Slot’s side and was left out of the squad for the 1-0 win over Arsenal, but he is considered a genuine first-team option and will be expected to provide competition to the established order as the season goes on.
“With Gomez denied a move to AC Milan on deadline day as there was deemed not enough time to finalise, Slot could have been left to work with five senior centre-backs if Guehi had joined.
“The word luxury is clearly not a negative one, but the head coach may have found it trickier to keep all three of Guehi, Leoni and Gomez happy behind the first-choice partnership of Van Dijk and Konate.
“Moreover, the Dutchman was already comfortable knowing that he may be required to turn to one of Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch or Andy Robertson as centre-back options in an emergency.”