Liverpool are believed to be leading the race to sign Crystal Palace and England centre-back Marc Guehi this summer, according to former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson.
Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are arguably Europe’s best centre-back currently, following an excellent season at the heart of the Reds’ defence.
That said, the former turns 34 years of age this summer, while the latter has been known for his injury problems throughout his career.
Joe Gomez is also sidelined currently and is also an injury-prone figure, while Jarell Quansah has shown that he is still a work in progress this season.
For that reason, at least one new centre-back needs to arrive at Liverpool at the end of the season, and possibly two, including one who can preferably do a job at left-back.
Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson has claimed that the Reds are “at the front of the queue” to snap up Guehi in the summer transfer window, with the 24-year-old likely to find a fresh challenge.
He is seen as a “good fit” for Arne Slot, coming in as a strong left-sided centre-back option, and it will be interesting to see if anything develops.
Strong option for Liverpool, but overpriced?
Guehi has shown that he is a top-level defender, standing out as arguably England’s best player at Euro 2024 last summer, helping them reach the final and being lauded by Joe Hart:
“Huge shoutout to Marc Guehi. I thought he was exceptional. He really stepped in and was really calm on the ball. I thought Guehi allowed John Stones to play his game. The more Marc plays, the better that [centre-back] partnership will get.”
The biggest drawback to Liverpool signing Guehi isn’t his quality, but whether his price tag will be bloated because he is an English player.
That can often happen, so the Reds’ recruitment team must decide if the Englishman is the best possible choice to bring in, or if there is another player out there who is just as good, if not better, but available for a cheaper amount.
It would be a surprise if Guehi stayed put at Palace in the summer, and if he did end up at Liverpool, there is no reason why he couldn’t be a success there, having averaged 4.6 clearances and 2.3 aerial duel wins per game in the Premier League this season.
