Liverpool: Arne Slot responds to Marc Guehi transfer drama and leaves door open for move

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Evening Standard

·12 de septiembre de 2025

Liverpool: Arne Slot responds to Marc Guehi transfer drama and leaves door open for move

Reds boss addresses Deadline Day saga for first time after deal for Crystal Palace captain collapsed

The Reds came close to signing the England centre-back - their top defensive target - on Deadline Day last week, even beginning a medical before Crystal Palace pulled out of a proposed £35million deal at the 11th hour due to complications in sourcing an adequate replacement.

The dramatic collapse of the move left both Liverpool and Guehi unhappy, with the player having signalled his desire to complete a switch to Anfield, where he would have joined Alexander Isak, who did complete a British record £125m transfer from Newcastle in the final hours before the summer window closed.

It has since been rumoured that Liverpool could return with another offer when the market reopens for business in January, while Guehi could yet leave Crystal Palace for free next summer when his current contract at Selhurst Park expires.

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Along with questions over Isak’s fitness and a potential debut for the striker this weekend, Liverpool boss Slot was inevitably asked about Guehi as he faced the media ahead of Sunday’s return to Premier League action away at newly-promoted Burnley, and said “let’s see what the future brings” when asked if the reigning champions could move again for the player in 2026.

"I think it would be ridiculous if I was to deny that we were close to signing him,” the Dutchman said. “These things happen in football and it has happened to our players in the past that they thought they were so close to signing somewhere else and then at the last moment things changed, this can happen.

"For me, we would have liked to have signed him of course because we were in for him and if we feel we can strengthen the team with a chance in the market then we will not hesitate to do so and that is what we tried to do.

"We played Arsenal and [Ibrahima] Konate and [Virgil] van Dijk played an outstanding game and Joe Gomez came in 20 minutes before the end and did good as well. With us signing Giovanni Leoni who had his first international call-up, it's not like all of a sudden we don't have options in that position anymore.

"It is a pity, not only for us but for the player I think. He is in a good place playing at Crystal Palace where he won the FA Cup and Charity Shield with a very good manager as well. Let's see what the future brings for him and for us."

Pushed again on if Liverpool could bid for Guehi in January, Slot said only: “What I think most about now is Burnley.”