Liverpool are still viewed as favourites to sign Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi this summer, with the London club “looking to cash in” on their captain.
Speculation around Guehi has cooled in recent weeks, but Liverpool are still looking to sign a new centre-back and “remain the favourites” to land the England international.
That is according to the Telegraph‘s Matt Law, despite revealing that Tottenham retain an interest following their failed bid in January.
Law writes that Tottenham “have not yet ruled out making another offer of their own” to rival Liverpool’s advances, but that is “not certain” at this stage.
Liverpool have clearly laid the groundwork for a move but much depends on Crystal Palace‘s valuation of a player who has entered the final year of his contract.
However the FA Cup winners were most recently claimed to be seeking a fee of £65 million, which would no doubt be deemed unrealistic by their Community Shield opponents.
It has been mooted that Palace would eventually agree a deal in the region of £40 million, and their desire to “cash in” this summer would surely aid that.
Speaking to Sky Sports this week, The Athletic’s David Ornstein explained: “We know Liverpool are keen on him at the right price.
“I think Palace would be looking to cash in rather than face losing him for free next summer.
“But he’s got the power in his hands: he’s very happy at Crystal Palace by the sounds of it and I don’t think he’d be afraid to go to the end of his deal.
“It doesn’t seem like a new contract is on the agenda and I think Marc Guehi, with total respect to Crystal Palace, is going to be playing at the very top in Champions League football – whether it’s sooner or later.
“You suspect this is going to be one of the stories of the upcoming weeks of the transfer window.”
Liverpool may wish to seek clarity on the situation around Ibrahima Konate before deciding their next move, but there is space for Guehi in the squad regardless.
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Having already sold Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen for £35 million, there remain only three senior centre-backs in Arne Slot‘s ranks in Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez.
Wataru Endo is an emergency option while Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas have both been trialled there in pre-season so far, but they along with youngster Amara Nallo will not be viewed as long-term solutions.
With Liverpool set to conclude a £79 million deal for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike in the coming hours, it is likely that their focus will then turn to a new centre-back and perhaps a pursuit of Guehi.
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