Liverpool’s curiosity in Marc Guehi is nothing new, however the chance of the Crystal Palace captain signing for the champions has simply stepped up considerably.
With Jarell Quansah departing for Bayer Leverkusen and doubts over Ibrahima Konate‘s contract state of affairs, Guehi is taken into account the prime candidate as Richard Hughes and Arne Slot plot a brand new addition at centre-back.
It’s straightforward to see why, too: Guehi ticks virtually each field as the best defensive signing in a switch window that would cement Liverpool’s standing as one of the best group in England for years to return.
Firstly, the monetary logistics of the deal have landed favourably for Liverpool.
Guehi is into the ultimate 12 months of his contract at Palace, who’re actively pursuing a successor in Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande, which not solely telegraphs their need to promote but additionally a ballpark asking value.
With Diomande, beforehand on Liverpool’s radar, valued at round £40 million, Liverpool may feasibly anticipate to do enterprise for the same charge in the event that they step up their curiosity in Guehi.
Given Quansah’s change to the Bundesliga will herald the same charge at as much as £35 million – with a buy-back clause in place for round €60 million (£51.3m) – it’s clear the funds can be there for his substitute.
However whereas Quansah had emerged from the academy as a massively promising younger defender, rightly incomes the publicity he did as alternate to Konate, Guehi is significantly forward in his improvement.
Youth and expertise
That comes regardless of the England worldwide solely being set to show 25 in mid-July, whereas Quansah is just two-and-a-half years youthful and celebrates his twenty third birthday subsequent season.
A product of Chelsea‘s youth system, Guehi was marked as one to observe early on and was a part of the England facet to win the U17 World Cup in 2017 in addition to reaching the ultimate of the U17 Euros months earlier.
Two seasons on mortgage at Swansea, working beneath England U17s coach Steve Cooper and alongside the likes of Conor Gallagher, Rhian Brewster and, briefly, Viktor Gyokeres, then earned him his £18 million transfer to Palace.
Now, virtually six years on from his debut, Guehi has performed 216 video games of senior membership soccer whereas making 23 appearances for the England nationwide group.
He stood out as England’s greatest defender finally summer season’s Euros earlier than enhancing his fame with one other stellar marketing campaign as Palace ended 2024/25 by lifting the FA Cup.
Whereas it could be a shock to be taught that there are lower than three years between Guehi and Quansah, it could be much more of a shock to be taught that the Palace captain is over a 12 months youthful than Konate.
The Ivory Coast-born defender is within the candy spot between youth and expertise, and although the miles and minutes in his legs could also be thought of put on and tear, he’s nonetheless a good distance from the pure peak of a top-level centre-back.
A contemporary, progressive centre-back
His upbringing at Chelsea, Swansea and eventually Palace ensures Guehi matches the mould as a contemporary defender, too; snug in possession with the flexibility to interrupt the traces and even create probabilities together with his passing vary.
In fact his basic duties stay in defence, and he’s a participant who relishes one-on-one duels – in final season’s Premier League he ranked within the high eight % of centre-backs for duels received (168 in whole) and high 16 % for aerial duels received (69).
His velocity makes him significantly efficient within the restoration – for which he’s within the high seven % within the Premier League – which might clearly go well with a Liverpool facet enjoying a excessive line.
It could possibly be argued that Guehi’s top – at a shorter-than-average 6′ for a centre-back – is the one actual drawback to think about, however he greater than makes up for it together with his intelligence and talent on the bottom.
That intelligence extends to his strategy off the pitch, with the 24-year-old a powerful character who speaks effectively and would slot in simply inside the present squad.
If the present order stays, with Konate as Virgil van Dijk‘s first-choice accomplice, there’s a feeling that Guehi would nonetheless get pleasure from appreciable sport time if he have been to affix Liverpool this summer season.
However it’s within the forward-planning that each Guehi and Liverpool may see that is the best time to start their affiliation.
Excellent for the squad
Given the membership are but to succeed in a breakthrough in talks over a brand new deal for Konate, who like Guehi will see his present contract expire in 2026, and Van Dijk quickly to have a good time his thirty fourth birthday, succession can be on the forefront of Liverpool’s defensive plans.
It’s straightforward to see Slot rotating between the trio of Van Dijk, Konate and Guehi extra comfortably than he was with Quansah the third alternative in his first season in cost, with a view to then cementing Guehi as a long-term first alternative.
The place that imaginative and prescient significantly fits Liverpool is within the altering make-up of their squad – and particularly with respect to their homegrown quota.
Liverpool’s homegrown state of affairs
Non-Homegrown Gamers (19): Alisson, Mamardashvili, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson*, Kerkez, Tsimikas, Ramsay*, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Enndo, Szoboszla, Enndo, Salah, Salah, Diaz, Jota, Nunez*, CHIESA*, Gakpo
Homegrown gamers (12): Mrozek*, Davies*, Gomez, Williams*, Frimpong, Bradley, Beck*, Stephenson*, Morton* Jones, Elliott*, Balagizi*
Notable U21s: Pacsi, Nallo, Characters, Scanlon, Bacjactic, MCONNELL, NYONI, GOORPON, TRAOR
* Prone to depart
The departure of plenty of their current homegrown choices, together with Quansah, this summer season means new additions are required that may meet the Premier League‘s standards.
Guehi is just not solely eligible as homegrown, partly fixing that dilemma, but additionally a genuinely top-tier centre-back with show management qualities, the best degree of expertise and in a beneficial place by way of availability.
Whether or not he’s Liverpool’s subsequent Van Dijk or a fail-safe of their precarious talks over Konate’s future, there are few higher choices – if any – on the market than Palace’s No. 6.
