Liverpool Will Look to Sign £20m Star in January Transfer Window – Opinion | OneFootball

Will Liverpool Re-Visit Move to Sign Marc Guehi in January?

The transfer deadline came and went with Liverpool supporters expecting two headline arrivals. Alexander Isak finally touched down in a British-record move from Newcastle, while the second deal – a much-anticipated swoop for Marc Guehi – collapsed most dramatically. The Crystal Palace captain had undergone a medical, agreed a five-year contract, and even recorded his farewell video to supporters, only for Oliver Glasner to dig his heels in and threaten resignation if his skipper was sold. In the end, Steve Parish relented, and Guehi was left devastated.

It was a remarkable late twist in a deal that seemed entirely concluded. The question now is whether Guehi has missed his dream move altogether – or if Liverpool will bide their time and swoop at an even better price in January.

A Deal That Was Done… Until It Wasn’t

This wasn’t a vague negotiation dragged to the wire. Liverpool had Guehi lined up for weeks, prepared to pay around £35m for a player entering the final year of his contract. The club has asked that he stay until new additions arrive so that qualification to the Europa Conference League could be attained. Palace knew the situation and was willing to sell, with Steve Parish eyeing reinvestment ahead of a season that now includes European football. Even the usual theatrics were in place: a farewell video filmed, a medical complete, documents filed, and an agreement on personal terms. Guehi himself had been privately thrilled to make the leap from south London to Merseyside, with the chance to join the reigning champions and stake his claim as England’s best defender.

And yet, at the very moment of confirmation, Glasner forced a standoff, one that in hindsight seems premeditated. The Austrian, who has his own eye on a bigger job down the line, threatened to walk out unless Guehi was retained. That ultimatum, combined with a late reluctance from Parish, forced Liverpool to withdraw as the extended deadline expired. For Guehi, the heartbreak was visible. A dream move vanished in the blink of an eye, all to appease the wants of a manager who will I’ve as soon as his own dream move materialises.

January Becomes the New Focus

The irony is that this stalemate may ultimately cost Palace more than it saves. Guehi is now firmly into the final year of his contract, and by January he will have just six months left. At that point, a pre-contract agreement could be presented by Liverpool, forcing Palace to either sell for a reduced fee – perhaps closer to £20m – or lose him for nothing in the summer.

Liverpool will be in no rush. They know Guehi wants the move and is even considering giving up the armband in protest. They know the groundwork has been laid by Michael Edwards and Arne Slot, with the opportunity to sign for the biggest club in the country selling itself. And they also know Palace cannot risk losing a player of his calibre for free. Michael Edwards has never been one for emotional, panicked decisions; he will happily walk away from overvalued deals and wait until circumstances swing decisively in Liverpool’s favour. That is exactly the situation shaping up now.

For Guehi, this isn’t a matter of if but when. A player who already captains his club, has become a senior England international, and is regarded as one of the best young centre-backs in Europe will not accept a drawn-out stagnation at Selhurst Park. His desire for Champions League football and the opportunity to compete for major honours remains clear.

Liverpool’s Defensive Picture

The bigger variable is Liverpool’s own defensive landscape. Joe Gomez, for all his versatility, continues to suffer from injury issues despite his superb cameo against Arsenal. Ibrahima Konaté has yet to commit to a long-term extension, and questions persist about his durability as a first-choice centre-back. Virgil van Dijk remains imperious but is now in his mid-thirties, and Arne Slot will want a successor embedded well before decline becomes visible. Giovanni Leoni has been signed a he looks like an imposing capture, though his integration needs to be a steady one given he is only 18 years old.

It all makes Guehi the perfect profile: 24 years old, Premier League proven, a leader, and available at what could be a cut-price fee. Missing out on him in August was a frustration, but it may yet prove to be a blessing, especially with a full quota of fit defenders at his disposal. Liverpool now holds all the leverage, Guehi remains committed to the move, and Palace will find themselves backed into a corner come January.

So, has Guehi missed his dream move? Not yet. He’s missed the chance to seal it now, when he wanted it most. But the door remains wide open and the suitors that are mentioned will still be the same clubs he turned down in August. The only difference is that when it does finally happen, Liverpool will almost certainly pay less, or nothing at all.