The total package to sign Marc Guehi was considered too much for Liverpool | OneFootball

Liverpool have missed out on England international centre-back Marc Guehi after he joined Manchester City from Crystal Palace yesterday.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot wanted the defender at Anfield last summer, and he was on the brink of signing for the Reds in a £35 million deal on September 1.

However, the move fell through and Guehi remained with Palace.

The 25-year-old has now joined Man City for an initial £20m, with Liverpool deciding not to challenge them for his services as they considered the total package too much, according to The Athletic.

Spending on his transfer fee, paying his high wages and agent fees, when he would have been available on a free transfer in five months if he had remained at Palace until his contract expired this summer, did not appeal to the Reds.

Slot will hope both Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate remain fit for the rest of the season as Liverpool have no plans to sign a centre-back this window.

They are without Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni for the rest of the season due to injuries but will call upon other defenders as covers at centre-back and right-back if need be.

Liverpool fans are fuming that the club have allowed Guehi to join a fierce rival having come very close to signing him five months ago.

The Reds were unwilling to challenge May City given the overall investment required to get him, and they will hope it does not come back to bite them going forward.

They are fourth in the league table after 22 games, 14 points off leaders Arsenal and just four points ahead of 10th-placed Everton.

The Reds could do with top additions this window having drawn all of their last four league games, but the club are not keen on getting any deals done.