Bayern Step Up Interest In Marc Guehi Amid Liverpool Pursuit
Liverpool’s late deadline-day move for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi looked set to be one of the summer’s headline steals. A £35million agreement was reportedly in place, yet the deal fell apart once Palace failed to land a replacement. It was a familiar frustration for supporters who had envisioned a title-winning defence reinforced by one of the Premier League’s most consistent centre-backs.
Guehi is out of contract next summer and has informed Palace he will not sign an extension. Chairman Steve Parish had been prepared to sanction a sale to avoid losing the England international for free, but circumstances forced a rethink. Guehi has since spoken candidly about handling the disappointment.
When asked how he managed to switch back to business as usual after the disappointment of the collapsed transfer, Guehi told TNT Sports: “Because it was! The sun goes up, the sun comes down. Life goes on. That’s my mindset, and if you adopt that mindset in most things, you just get on with life and move on. Fortunately for me I’m at a football club that has helped me and given me so much. So it does make it that much easier.”
Guehi added: “Having my family there the whole time, friends, people that have always been there for me, and then the football club. People that you come in to work with every single day, staff, team-mates, (they are) always there. So when they’re joking and laughing and smiling, it just makes it easy, to be honest. It’s been really, really good in that sense.”
Bayern Enter The Frame
Liverpool will not have a clear run at securing Guehi in 2026. According to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Bayern Munich have already made contact with the player’s camp.
Plettenberg posted on X: “FC Bayern are already looking concretely at Marc #Guéhi. Max Eberl is a big admirer, and initial talks with the player’s representatives have already taken place. Bayern are interested in a free transfer in 2026, but that depends on what happens with Upamecano/Kim. There is competition: Liverpool and Barcelona are seriously involved, and Real Madrid are also in the race.”
https://twitter.com/Plettigoal/status/1975236978074415266
Battle At Europe’s Top Table
Manchester United and Chelsea have both previously monitored the player but it is now clear that Guehi’s next move will involve the elite tier. Bayern’s pitch will likely revolve around guaranteed minutes and long-term succession planning. Liverpool, meanwhile, can sell an immediate partnership with Virgil van Dijk’s successor and a title-challenging squad under Arne Slot.
Contract Strategy Crucial
Palace’s decision to hold their nerve in August could prove a costly misstep. Guehi holds the leverage, and his value will diminish rapidly should he reach January without signing. Any club willing to pay a lesser fee upfront could yet tempt Palace into action before allowing a pre-contract agreement to be signed elsewhere.
Our View – Anfield Index Analysis
From a Liverpool perspective, Guehi feels like one that got away. Supporters were already debating which shirt number he would take, only to see the deal vanish in the final hours. What stands out most is Guehi’s mentality. He did not sulk or lash out. He simply said the sun rises and life goes on. That kind of attitude screams Liverpool material.
The risk now is straightforward. Let this drift into a free-for-all next summer and Liverpool are suddenly competing not just with Bayern but with Barcelona and Real Madrid. The club cannot rely on romanticism alone. Guehi will want to play, to win trophies and to feel important. Under Slot, Liverpool can offer all three.
If Liverpool truly believe Guehi is the long-term defensive leader to replace van Dijk, then waiting for a free transfer is dangerous. Pay the fee, secure the signing early and avoid another Jude Bellingham situation where admiration did not translate into execution. Bayern are ruthless in these scenarios. Liverpool must be as well.
