Bayern Munich have joined the race to sign £35m Crystal Palace star | OneFootball

Liverpool Face Growing Battle for Guehi

Transfer collapse creates wider opening

Liverpool thought they had found their defensive solution on deadline day. A deal worth £35 million for Marc Guehi was in place, the player was undergoing a medical, and anticipation was building. Then, in a sudden twist, Crystal Palace pulled the plug. Chairman Steve Parish decided that without suitable reinforcements secured, the captain could not be allowed to leave. As The Express detailed, the collapse of this agreement has opened the door for a swarm of European giants.

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“Bayern Munich have joined the race to sign Marc Guehi,” the report stated, with Real Madrid and Barcelona also circling. The dynamic has shifted from an almost certain move to Anfield to a battle on multiple fronts, with Liverpool no longer the sole courtship.

European giants sense opportunity

What makes Guehi such an enticing figure is not just his assured defending or leadership qualities but the calendar itself. His current contract expires next summer, and foreign clubs will be able to negotiate directly with him from January. The potential of a free transfer puts Liverpool at a disadvantage compared to Bayern, Madrid or Barcelona, who can strike pre-contract agreements.

Inter Milan and Juventus are monitoring developments too. Each sees in Guehi a chance to add international experience at a fraction of the usual cost. Liverpool, meanwhile, must wait and hope loyalty, or perhaps destiny, guides him north to Merseyside.

Liverpool’s persistence in the chase

Despite the disappointment, Liverpool’s interest has not waned. “Liverpool remain eager to snap him up as a free agent next summer,” the piece confirmed. The memory of the failed move will sting, but the strategy is clear. Patience, persistence, and the belief that Anfield remains a lure unmatched by Europe’s aristocracy.

Photo: IMAGO

The defender himself has been transparent. Guehi made it clear that he would either join Liverpool or depart as a free agent. He remains professional, committed to Crystal Palace for the season, and was even seen “in high spirits during England’s training at St George’s Park this week.” Yet the sense of unfinished business with Liverpool lingers.

Wider implications for squad building

For Liverpool, the Guehi situation underscores a bigger reality. Competing in the modern market is no longer about who moves fastest but who can endure the longest saga. The collapse was frustrating, softened only by the arrival of Alexander Isak. But the need for defensive reinforcement has not gone away, and Guehi remains at the centre of it.

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The collapse of the Guehi deal was disappointing enough for Liverpool and their supporters, especially after hearing he had already undergone a medical. But the real worry now is the calibre of clubs entering the frame. Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, even Inter and Juventus, these are institutions that have long thrived on swooping in when English clubs hesitate.

It is easy to imagine a scenario where Bayern’s project, or Madrid’s prestige, prove too persuasive to resist. Supporters have seen similar stories before, where patience costs the club a player they had positioned themselves to sign.

There is also a broader unease about defensive planning. Guehi feels like an obvious solution, young, English, experienced, and available at the right price. To miss out now would be another reminder that the market rewards ruthlessness. The hope is that Liverpool’s history, Anfield’s allure, and the promise of being part of the new era under Arne Slot still carry enough weight. But fans will not relax until the deal is done, and in truth, this saga looks destined to run for a long time.