Crystal Palace: What next for Marc Guehi as Liverpool to face competition for transfer target | OneFootball

A failed medical saw a £35m dream move collapse on Deadline Day

Liverpool will be wary of fresh competition for Marc Guehi over the next two transfer windows after Crystal Palace pulled the plug on a Deadline Day exit.

Brighton’s Igor Julio was the target for Palace, only for issues with his medical to arise and see the deal cancelled. The defender then travelled east and joined West Ham.

There is no prospect of Guehi signing a new deal with Palace, and he is set to remain a target for Liverpool moving forward.

The likeliest outcome is that the 25-year-old now stays with the Eagles for the remainder of the season and leaves as a free agent next summer. A January move would likely still require Palace to source a replacement.

Other potential suitors could emerge in that time. Chelsea have long been credited with interest, Newcastle failed with multiple bids last summer and Tottenham saw a £70m offer rejected in January.

Staying put: Marc Guehi

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Be it a cut-price deal in January or on a free transfer next summer, an even broader choice of clubs will be in for Guehi in a few months. A player of such quality is rarely available on a free transfer.

A third option is a pre-agreement with a foreign club, allowed from January 1 once Guehi enters the final six months of his contract

Guehi, who enjoys a strong relationship with manager Oliver Glasner, has, however, always maintained he was happy to stay at the club and see out his contract.

The England international’s impeccable conduct, while other players succeeded in forcing through a move this summer, means his reintroduction will be seamless as Palace turn their attentions to a historic first season in European competition.

Glasner, too, will be pleased to see Guehi remain in south London after publicly stating the club could not afford to lose their captain so late in the window.

It’s been a difficult summer for the Eagle, who have also lost Eberechi Eze to Arsenal, with Guehi’s situation exposing tensions between Glasner and chairman Steve Parish.

However, despite losing out on a significant windfall, Palace will be boosted by their skipper’s return as they compete on four fronts this season.