Liverpool warned of HUGE wages, signing-on fee Marc Guehi could demand as transfer race sees pair drop out | OneFootball

Liverpool have been warned that delaying the signing of Marc Guehi to the end of the season could ultimately hit them harder in the pocket than ever expected, amid claims the Crystal Palace star’s sky-high demands have seen two major suitors drop from the running and with one top journalist now naming the club the defender is expected to join.

The England defender came within a whisker of joining Liverpool on transfer deadline day back in the summer, only for Crystal Palace to pull the plug on the £35m sale after failing to sign his replacement in defence.

Having returned to Selhurst Park, Guehi has shown zero signs of being affected by that transfer breaking down, having continued to put up one dominant display after another in the heart of the Eagles’ defence.

But with the 25-year-old making clear he won’t be signing an extension to his contract, the player is poised to become one of the most in-demand free agents of all time this summer, with sources revealing no fewer than 13 sides have already contacted his representatives over a summer transfer.

Free to sign a pre-contract agreement with interested overseas sides from this Thursday, January 1, we understand Guehi has made it clear that he intends to see out the season at Selhurst Park before making any firm decision on his future.

That stance seriously increases Liverpool’s confidence in striking a fresh deal themselves for the 26-times capped England star.

However, former Man Utd goalkeeper Ben Foster, speaking on his Fozcast podcast, has revealed the jaw-dropping costs likely to be involved in signing Guehi on ‘a free’.

“Marc Guehi could go to anybody in the wo‎rld. If he lets his contract run down to the summer, he can sign for whoever he wants,” Foster said.

“At that point there he gets to say, ‘I want £250,000 a week’ or ‘I want £300,000,’ because if he gets four, five or six teams sniffing at him and wanting him, he’ll get it as well. The amount of money this guy’s about to earn is honestly outrageous.

“With the signing-on fee, you haven’t got to pay £40m or £50m for a player like Marc Guehi; instead of that, you can say, ‘Give me a signing-on fee of £30m and we’ll call it quits.’ It’s crazy money.”

Top journalist names Guehi preference as two sides drop from race

Despite the enormous salary demands Guehi will seemingly demand, it potentially closes the door on the number of clubs that can viably match his terms.

In light of all that, Sky Sports’ journalist Sacha Tavolieri has revealed that Liverpool are ‘leading the race’ for Guehi and remain the club he will most likely sign for.

At the same time, Tavolieri has suggested the name of Barcelona off the list, because the Spanish giants are unable to match personal terms to the defender offered elsewhere.

Taking to X, Tavolieri stated: “FC Barcelona close to ruling out Marc Guehi!

“The English defender wants to decide his future soon, and Barca’s offer would be lower than those from English clubs. Liverpool still leading the race for Guehi. Wait and see.”

Tavolieri’s claims follow suggestions last week from his colleague, Karveh Solhekol, that Guehi has a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ to join the Reds – a claim since fiercely denied by our sources who have provided an insight into the defender’s transfer stance.

As a result, sources do not expect Guehi to reach a quick decision on his future, instead preferring to wait until the back end of the season to decide his next move.

That is a verdict echoed by the BBC’s chief football reporter, Sami Mokbel, who stated last weekend: “My understanding at the moment is he probably and is expected to stay at Palace until the end of the season when his contract expires.

“Look, he’s got so many options in the summer. You’ve got Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan… all these clubs have registered varying degrees of interest in Guehi in recent weeks.

“When you come to the end of the season, you’ll have Liverpool back in the mix, Manchester City back in the mix.

“So he is leaving, he’s going, but I expect that situation to continue until the summer when he’ll have his pick of the clubs.”

Mokbel added: “He’s delivered week in, week out, and the way he’s reacted to that Liverpool move falling through has seen several clubs come to the fore.

“That’s the kind of personality and character people want at their club. He’s done himself a brilliant service to himself this season.

“He wanted to join Liverpool, let’s make no bones about it, but he’s put that behind him and had a brilliant season so far.”

Of the clubs mentioned, Real Madrid are perhaps the most attractive option, though ESPN Deportes last week ruled Los Blancos out of the chase, removing another sizeable object from Liverpool’s path.

Worrying Salah update; Club Brugge man linked; €100m Juve star eyed

With a move for Guehi likely to be on hold until the season’s end, two separate sources on Tuesday have provided updates on Liverpool target Joel Ordonez.

With a major rival now dropping out the running for the €40m (£35m) rated defender, it’s claimed that this has ‘cleared the way’ for Liverpool to land Ordonez, and the Reds are now considered ‘frontrunners’.

Elsewhere, a former Liverpool player has urged the club to consider a sensational raid for one of Arsenal’s best players.

Liverpool have also been credited with interest in Juventus ‘superstar’ Kenan Yildiz, alongside Arsenal and Chelsea.

The latest reports in Italy claim Liverpool have been ‘making calls’ to tee up a possible swoop for the electric forward.

And finally, Liverpool have been told that the ongoing row over Mohamed Salah would simply not have reared its head had Jurgen Klopp still been Reds boss, while new claims over the Egyptian’s future suggest .