James Pearce provides update on Liverpool’s pursuit of Marc Guehi | OneFootball

Liverpool’s Centre-Back Dilemma Demands Smart Thinking

Liverpool’s title-winning momentum under Arne Slot has not dulled the need for realism. Defensive depth has become a pressing concern and James Pearce of The Athletic has laid bare the situation surrounding Marc Guehi’s future. Liverpool had agreed a £35m deal to sign Guehi last summer, only for it to collapse on deadline day. With just eight months left on his Crystal Palace contract, many assumed January would offer an easy route back to the negotiation table.

Not so, according to Pearce, who makes it clear that Liverpool will not reignite their pursuit this winter. One quote stands out: “It’s difficult to imagine Liverpool offering to pay the kind of fee Palace would want in January for a player who will be available for nothing six months later. And if you’re Guehi, moving next summer as a free agent is bound to be a lot more lucrative given the kind of signing on fee he could command.”

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Risky Gamble On Limited Numbers

Liverpool’s reluctance is financially logical, but football rarely waits for balance sheets. Giovanni Leoni’s ACL injury leaves Slot with just three centre-backs: Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez. Van Dijk remains elite at 24 but cannot play every game of a long season. Konate has struggled for form, faces summer contract uncertainty with Real Madrid circling, and Gomez has never gone a campaign without fitness scares. One more injury turns a calculated risk into a crisis.

Strategic Patience Or False Economy

Waiting for Guehi on a free sounds ideal in theory, but there is no guarantee he will choose Liverpool if Manchester United or Chelsea enter the race. Free agents attract auctions, not straightforward transfers. If Guehi knows he can earn more by delaying, Liverpool could watch a long-term target slip away.

There is also a psychological factor inside the dressing room. A title defence requires visible signs of ambition. Slot has already delivered success, but he must be backed to maintain it.

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This feels like a dangerous waiting game. Supporters understand the financial logic and appreciate that Liverpool are no longer the reckless spenders of past eras, but modern football punishes hesitation. Guehi was clearly wanted in the summer and nothing about the current situation makes him less valuable. If anything, the squad’s fragility makes him more essential.

Nobody is asking for panic buys, but winning sides stay ahead of their problems, not behind them. Real Madrid hovering around Konate should be enough of a warning. If Guehi is viewed as the heir to van Dijk, then get him now before someone else does. If Liverpool refuse to move, then fans need reassurance that another alternative is firmly in play.

There is total faith in Slot, but he should not be asked to defend two trophies with one centre-back injury away from chaos. Reinforcements are not a luxury anymore, they are survival. January cannot be passive. It must be decisive.