Liverpool weighing Marc Guehi move as Slot seeks defensive solution
Centre-back pursuit accelerates after Quansah exit
Liverpool’s business in the transfer window continues at pace. A restructured backline has already seen Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi and Freddie Woodman brought in. But the sale of Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen has left a hole that needs filling, and fast.
That search may soon centre on Marc Guehi, with the Crystal Palace and England defender now firmly on Liverpool’s radar. According to Ben Jacobs, Liverpool are prepared to “rapidly escalate” their interest once one key factor changes: the price.
Liverpool will only advance their interest in Marc Guehi if Crystal Palace’s asking price drops.#LFC have no plans to pay £45m-£50m. Price would need to be well south of this bracket.
Liverpool are still assessing whether Guehi is a genuine market opportunity.
Palace open to… pic.twitter.com/jNYplU23C5
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) June 29, 2025
Guehi price tag the sticking point
Palace are holding out for a fee in the region of £45 million. Liverpool, however, are wary of meeting those demands outright. The 24-year-old does not fall neatly into Richard Hughes’ preferred age profile, but Guehi’s leadership and consistency have put him in contention for an exception to be made.
Liverpool are understood to be exploring other options — including Ajax’s Jorrel Hato — but Guehi remains the most Premier League-ready candidate.
Availability and versatility make Guehi ideal
Liverpool need more than just another name in defence. Ibrahima Konate’s future is uncertain, Joe Gomez continues to carry fitness questions and Virgil van Dijk cannot be expected to play every game. Guehi offers a solution that is dependable and proven.
His injury record is particularly attractive. Since the 2020/21 season, Guehi has only missed 13 games for Palace — all during one campaign — demonstrating a resilience few defenders can match at this level.
Possession stats hint at untapped potential
Last season, Guehi topped Palace’s charts for both passes attempted and completed. While those numbers may not rival Liverpool’s current centre-backs, his ball-playing ability would almost certainly improve in a side that dominates possession. He fits the Slot mould: clean on the ball, intelligent in positioning and capable under pressure.
Whether Liverpool trigger the move now or later may depend on how far Palace are willing to bend. But the intention is clear. The club are looking to add quality and depth at centre-back, and Guehi ticks many of the right boxes.
Our View – Anfield Index Analysis
If ever there was a transfer that made sense but still raised an eyebrow, it is this one. As a Liverpool fan, you can see the value in Marc Guehi. He’s strong, reads the game well, can play out from the back and doesn’t miss many games. That last part alone should interest us, given the revolving door we’ve had at centre-back in recent seasons.
But £45 million? For someone who isn’t first-choice for England and has only played in a mid-table team? That’s where the hesitation creeps in. Then again, you could argue we paid more for less in the past. If we’re genuinely backing Arne Slot to build a new era, then it starts with trusting the defence to do the basics well.
Guehi wouldn’t be the marquee name fans always want, but he might be exactly the kind of solid, reliable presence we need to build around. And if he stays fit while the others fall away, again, we’ll all be glad we didn’t wait.
Just don’t let this drag on too long. If he’s the one, get him in before pre-season hits top gear.
