Liverpool Abandons January Bid for Marc Guehi After Deadline Day Collapse

Liverpool FC will not pursue a January transfer for defender Marc Guehi, according to reports from talkSPORT. A £35 million deal for the Crystal Palace captain nearly materialized on deadline day, with Guehi even receiving clearance to undergo a medical examination. However, the transfer ultimately fell through, leaving the player disappointed.

The collapse of Guehi’s move to Liverpool was linked to Igor’s decision to join West Ham on loan from Brighton, which prompted Palace to retain Guehi. Despite expressing a strong desire to join Liverpool, Guehi’s hopes were dashed when Palace’s head coach Oliver Glasner conveyed the need for two new defenders to chairman Steve Parish. Consequently, Guehi will remain at Selhurst Park despite the possibility of leaving for free next summer.

As it stands, Guehi has no intention to sign a new contract with Crystal Palace, meaning he is likely to exit the club post-World Cup. A mid-season transfer is also not on the cards, as it could disrupt his preparations for the tournament. The 25-year-old is expected to have multiple options next summer, with clubs like Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur showing interest. Spurs previously had a £70 million bid for Guehi rejected under the former chairman, Daniel Levy.

Meanwhile, sources from Newcastle indicate that Guehi is no longer a priority for their transfer plans after the acquisition of Malick Thiaw. Although Chelsea expressed interest, they did not submit a formal offer despite a need for defensive reinforcements following Levi Colwill‘s ACL injury.

Why Liverpool is Content Without Guehi

Liverpool aimed to cap off an impressive transfer window with Guehi’s arrival, but their primary focus was on acquiring a young centre-back within the 18-22 age range. They successfully signed Giovanni Leoni from Parma for £26 million, who is considered to have elite potential and is ready for the Premier League.

Guehi’s strong performances have already helped Palace secure two clean sheets in their opening three Premier League matches. Liverpool, feeling confident in their centre-back options, including Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, and Joe Gomez, are not in immediate need of additional defensive support. Although Gomez attracted interest from both Palace and AC Milan, Liverpool opted not to sell, especially since a transfer would have been contingent on Guehi’s move.

Liverpool remains poised to revisit Guehi in a year, potentially pre-agreeing a contract from January 2024, but currently have no plans to pay a transfer fee for an early acquisition.

Focus on Contract Extensions

Instead of pursuing Guehi in January, Liverpool is concentrating efforts on securing a contract extension for Ibrahima Konate, whose deal is set to expire next summer. The 26-year-old has been linked with a free transfer to Real Madrid, but Liverpool is actively negotiating in hopes of reaching a long-term agreement.

While progress has been slow, Liverpool has previously demonstrated their willingness to allow contracts to run down, as seen with Mohammed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Both Salah and Van Dijk signed new two-year contracts in April, while Alexander-Arnold eventually left for Madrid.

In summary, Liverpool’s current strategy is to solidify their existing squad while keeping an eye on potential future acquisitions. The situation surrounding Guehi illustrates the complexities of transfer negotiations but also highlights the club’s confidence in their current roster.