Marc Guehi transfer exposes amateur FSG’s decline as latest reason for failed Liverpool deal revealed | OneFootball

Liverpool and FSG were once deemed elite operators in the transfer market, but the Marc Guehi saga proves that is no longer the case…

There was a time when FSG arguably had the best footballing operation in the world, as they very rarely signed flops and almost always got the maximum out of the money they spent on players.

This contributed to Liverpool‘s latest golden era under beloved former boss Jurgen Klopp, but events over the past six months have evidenced that the club has declined massively on and off the field.

Head coach Arne Slot is certainly not without his faults, as he increasingly appears to be a poor fit for Liverpool given how supporters demand their team to play, with their ongoing unbeaten run undermined by a string of uninspiring team displays that lack the intensity that was a hallmark of Klopp’s reign.

Therefore, especially with Xabi Alonso available after his Real Madrid departure, Slot and Liverpool look likely to go their separate ways before next season, but the Dutchman is only partially to blame; FSG have hung him out to dry.

The return of Michael Edwards as FSG’s CEO of football and the appointment of Richard Hughes as sporting director were largely met with positivity, but these recruits do not look half as good with the benefit of hindsight.

FSG’s misguided handling of the 2025 summer transfer window, during which Liverpool spent over £400m on signings and somehow started the 2025/26 season with a poorer side, has raised serious alarm bells, with Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike as two of their only standouts from this investment.

This leaves an unforeseen second squad overhaul inevitable heading into the summer, at which point their focus needs to be on finding answers to their severe centre-back problem.

Virgil van Dijk’s alarming form and attitude worsen their situation, which is made pretty bleak as Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez near the end of their contracts, while club chiefs have let top target Guehi slip through their fingers.

Liverpool’s attacking department needed to be addressed in the summer, but their issues at centre-back were at least of equal importance. So, it is unacceptable that they wasted so much time with Guehi, given that he wanted the move, he was the best option available and that his contract situation ensured he was available for a bargain price.

The collapsed move for Guehi was a major misstep from FSG, who have since compounded their initial failure with more ineptitude.

While Liverpool have sat twiddling their thumbs this month, Man City have taken advantage to swiftly conclude a deal for Guehi, who is set to join Antoine Semenyo in moving to the Etihad.

Man City felt forced to act after injuries to Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias left them incredibly short at the back, striking an agreement with Palace worth up to around £30m with add-ons and a reported £300,000 a week deal for the centre-back.

These financial factors go some way to explaining why Man City have gained favour from Guehi and Palace, though The Times‘ Paul Joyce has provided some damning details regarding Liverpool’s position.

As relayed by LFC Transfer Room on X, Joyce said: ‘It is clear Liverpool hoped Guehi would recognise the efforts they had made to sign him before Palace co-owner and chairman Steve Parish pulled the plug on a deal on deadline day and, in turn, waited for them until the summer.’

He added: ‘The flipside of that is that Liverpool are not as attractive a proposition now as they were then for any player — City’s reputed wage offer of £300,000 a week, in addition to paying an initial £20m, was a deal Liverpool were unwilling to match financially.’

The ‘flipside’ argument is not too alarming, but Liverpool’s ‘hope’ regarding Guehi screams of naivety and a cock-up of this magnitude would have never happened in FSG’s glory days.

During this prolonged saga, and with their other business last summer, Liverpool and FSG have come across as being amateurish and they have given themselves a mountain to climb before next season starts.