Liverpool Eyeing Marc Guehi as Jarell Quansah Nears Leverkusen Switch

As Liverpool prepare for life without Jarell Quansah, attention has turned towards Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi. With Quansah set to complete a £35million move to Bayer Leverkusen, Anfield’s recruitment team are deep in discussions over how best to replace the young centre-back without disrupting the club’s carefully managed transfer model.

David Lynch, speaking to Dave Davis on Anfield Index, offered a thorough breakdown of the situation and Liverpool’s current stance in the market. His insight, backed by reliable contacts within the club and the game, paints a picture of strategic caution rather than impulse.

Guehi Identified as Ideal Replacement

Liverpool’s admiration for Marc Guehi is nothing new. A key figure for both Crystal Palace and England, the 23-year-old has developed into one of the Premier League’s most dependable centre-backs. As Lynch explained, “Liverpool will have that sort of Jarell Quansah figure [£35m] in their mind because that’s who they’re trying to replace in the squad.”

That valuation may prove pivotal. While Guehi is entering the final year of his contract, Crystal Palace are in no rush to sell. The South London club are financially stable, boast European football next season, and are determined not to let a key asset leave below market value.

“Crystal Palace have shown in the past that they won’t budge on their valuation and perhaps Palace don’t mind losing him on a free next summer,” Lynch said. “They’ve qualified for Europe, doing well at the moment and a solid Premier League club and maybe they think that they don’t have to cash in.”

Palace Holding Firm but Talks Expected

Liverpool’s reluctance to overspend is well established. In this case, it might also be what defines the eventual outcome of the deal. Guehi’s camp is understood to be open to a move to Anfield, with Liverpool seen as the player’s preferred destination. That fact, combined with Guehi’s contract status, could be decisive.

“But it seems like the player will want Liverpool above anyone else and I could see Liverpool perhaps shaking on a figure around £40million,” Lynch suggested. “Either way there needs to be a bit of compromise and we aren’t there just yet.”

From Liverpool’s side, patience will be key. The club are not expected to go beyond £40million, especially with Quansah’s sale figure acting as a benchmark for their internal calculations. Lynch made it clear: “Liverpool aren’t going to want to go too high for a player in the last year of his contract because they’re incredibly disciplined when it comes to this stuff.”

Disciplined Recruitment Remains Priority

The contrast between fan impatience and internal planning is a familiar theme. Liverpool’s structure, led by figures like Michael Edwards and Arne Slot, is built around ensuring that value is never sacrificed for short-term gain. Guehi fits the profile both stylistically and statistically, but the club will not be drawn into a bidding war.

Whether Palace soften their stance as the window progresses is a variable Liverpool are watching closely. “We will see whether they soften in that stance but it’s just hard to say how Crystal Palace are feeling about it at the moment,” Lynch added.

For now, Guehi remains an option rather than a guarantee. But if common ground can be found, and if Palace accept the realities of the final year of his contract, Liverpool may yet secure a long-term replacement for Quansah without breaking from the strategy that brought them Premier League success in Slot’s debut campaign.