Liverpool move on from Marc Guehi to sign 'perfect' defender instead | OneFootball

Liverpool are now reportedly eyeing a move to sign a 'perfect' defender for Arne Slot's system.

If there was one regret from the club's summer transfer window, it will have been missing out on Marc Guehi. The England international was moments away from joining the Reds before Crystal Palace pulled the plug on the deal.

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Richard Hughes will have been left disappointed, and it remains to be seen whether the Reds actually return for the centre-back, or whether Guehi's heart will still be with Liverpool when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Guehi will have plenty of other suitors, and it seems like Liverpool will have plenty of options as well.

In fact based on the club's recent interest in a 22-year-old defender, it might be the the case that Liverpool are already moving on from their pursuit of Guehi.

In the end, he may end up with the same status in Liverpool lore as Yevhen Konoplyanka or Nabil Fekir, who both also missed out on signing for the Reds by a hair's breadth.

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Ideally, Liverpool want a defender who can play on both sides of the back two. Guehi fit this profile because he had played a lot of his career minutes on the left but he was right-footed so he could also play on the right.

With the departure of Jarell Quansah, Liverpool don't necessarily have a back-up option or a future plan for a defender to replace Virgil van Dijk.

Giovanni Leoni is more comfortable on the right side of defence. He's someone who could become a future successor to Ibrahima Konate.

But if not Leoni nor Guehi, who are Liverpool targeting?

Liverpool want Youri Baas who is 'perfect' for Slot's system

According to a report, the Reds are looking at Ajax defender Youri Baas. There's a strong relationship between the two sides at the moment with Slot's former assistant Johnny Heitinga being in charge of Ajax at the moment.

Liverpool also have two players out on loan in James McConnell and Vitezslav Jaros, who have both started their Ajax careers very well.

They also seem to be interested in a number of Ajax players. Recently, Jorthy Mokio has been linked. Meanwhile, Aaron Bouwman also seems to be on the Reds' radar.

Now there's another name to add to the list. According to Fichajes, Liverpool want to sign Baas because he is 'perfect' for Slot's system due to his ability on the ball and his reading of the game.

Baas' style of play reportedly has won over the Liverpool hierarchy to make a move for him. This could in return spell the end of the Reds pursuing Guehi.

© IMAGO - Youri Baas Liverpool

Why?

Well, Baas is a left-footed centre-back. He plays on the left-side of the defence - exactly where Guehi would play, too.

So, if Liverpool were indeed interested in him, it would make no sense to sign Guehi as well and have three options for the left-sided centre-back position with Van Dijk also at the club.

Baas definitely seems like an ideal profile. He's very comfortable on the ball averaging over 60 passes with a 90% pass completion in his senior career so far.

Around 22 passes per 90 minutes are forward passes as well, which would definitely suggest he'd suit Slot's style of play.

It's a player worth keeping a close eye on. This report definitely suggests that Guehi moving to Anfield is not as set in stone as some would like to claim.