Liverpool to hit ‘unsurmountable obstacle’ in Marc Guehi pursuit
Liverpool have been heavily linked with Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi.
Arne Slot’s side have already brought Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez to Merseyside as they look to defend their Premier League crown.
However, Fenway Sports Group may not be done strengthening and centre-back remains an area of concern.
Jarell Quansah is set to depart to Bayer Leverkusen in a £35million deal, which would leave the Reds lacking depth in the position.
Liverpool’s Guehi move plunged into doubt
A move for Guehi will not be simple for the Anfield outfit, first they have to match Palace’s demands in terms of fee, then the player’s, when it comes to salary and game time.
BBC journalist Sami Mokbel (29 June) claims that a deal for the 24-year-old could “hit an unsurmountable obstacle” if he is not given sufficient guarantees over his playing time.
It states that the England star’s chances of making Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad will be a pivotal factor in his decision.
Guehi would not necessarily start for Liverpool
Guehi is a brilliant defender, there is no doubt about that, but whether he starts over the Reds’ current centre-back pairing is another question.
Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate formed a formidable partnership last season, which was pivotal in their title success.
The Dutchman will remain on Merseyside until at least 2027 after signing a new deal but the Frenchman’s situation is a little more complicated.
The 25-year-old is yet to agree to fresh terms, despite being out of contract next summer, and there are fears that he could do what Trent Alexander-Arnold did, and move on a free to Real Madrid.
If that is the case, then Guehi would be guaranteed to be a starter after that, but that would be after the World Cup, and he may have missed out on Tuchel’s squad by then.
With four competitions, including the Champions League, there is probably enough game time to go around, especially given Konate’s injury history, but Guehi could be put off a move by the fact he would have to displace one of the best duos in the league.
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