Liverpool’s £45m move could stall as Slot target happy to stay put

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Liverpool’s pursuit of defensive reinforcements could hit a major hurdle as one of our top summer targets is reportedly willing to bide his time before making a move.

According to Jacob Steinberg in The Guardian, Marc Guehi is prepared to see out the final year of his Crystal Palace contract if the right opportunity doesn’t arise.

The 24-year-old, who played a vital role in Palace’s FA Cup triumph, has made it clear he won’t be signing an extension and is therefore available this summer — but only on his own terms.

That presents a dilemma for Liverpool, who are considering a move for the England international once Jarell Quansah completes a £30 million switch to Bayer Leverkusen.

With our Premier League-winning squad potentially losing a versatile defender who made 25 appearances last season, reinforcements are clearly required.

Guehi wants regular football and isn’t in a rush

The former Chelsea man is keen to ensure he plays regularly next season to maintain his place in Thomas Tuchel’s England plans ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

While a move to Anfield would give him the chance to work under Arne Slot and compete for major honours, guaranteed minutes may be harder to come by initially with Virgil van Dijk and Ibou Konate still the preferred pairing.

Van Dijk recently extended his contract and remains a dominant figure at 33.

Konate, meanwhile, enters the final year of his deal, but his injury record could mean rotation opportunities — something the Palace defender will surely be considering.

Liverpool have already signed Florian Wirtz this summer and could yet turn their attention to bolstering our backline further, especially with Joe Gomez’s injury history and uncertainty surrounding Konate’s future.

However, the Guardian report stresses that Guehi “will not be rushed into a decision on his future” and would be willing to let his current deal run down.

That would allow him to leave on a free next year or sign a pre-contract with a foreign club from January — giving Palace a real incentive to lower their £45m valuation now rather than risk losing him for nothing.

If we do step up our interest, it’ll be fascinating to see whether the lure of joining the best team in England outweighs the offer of guaranteed starts elsewhere.

Join our channel of readers on WhatsApp to get the day’s top stories straight to your mobile

Liverpool has lost a great – EOTK’s tribute to Willie Stevenson, one of Shankly’s best

Click here to read article