Arne Slot has spoken about Marc Guehi’s failed transfer for the first time, describing the collapse as a “pity” for both Liverpool and the player.
Liverpool agreed a £35 million deal for Guehi to swap Selhurst Park for Anfield on deadline day, but it collapsed at the last hour as Palace pulled the plug.
The expectation, as per reports, is that Liverpool will return for the England international next summer on a free transfer, rather than striking another deal in the January window.
While the dust may have settled during the international break, Slot was asked about his view of the collapsed transfer when he fronted the press for the first time on Friday.
“I think it would be a bit ridiculous if I deny that we were close to signing him. It was so out in the open it would be ridiculous,” Slot said.
“These things happen in football. It happens to our players, maybe in the past as well, that they thought they were so close to signing somewhere else and in the last moment things changed.
“This can happen. We would have liked to sign him, of course, because we were in for him.
“Like I’ve said many times, if we feel we can strengthen the team with a chance in the market, we never hesitate to do so. That’s what we tried to do.
“But we played one or two days before [deadline day] against Arsenal, and Ibou and Virgil played an outstanding game.
“Joe Gomez came in 20 minutes before the end and did outstanding as well. With us signing Giovanni Leoni, Ryan and Wata that can play there, so it’s not like all of a sudden we don’t have options anymore.
“It’s a pity, not only for us but also for the player. But he’s in a good place playing at Palace, where won the Charity Shield and FA Cup with a very good manager.
“Let’s see what the future brings for him and for us.”
Liverpool have four senior options at centre-back and the versatility of their midfielders for the 2025/26 season, which Jamie Carragher feels may “blow up in their face” due to the lack of competition.
“What Guehi was giving Liverpool was competition at centre-back, they haven’t got that. They’ve got two starters and two understudies,” he said.
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