Reigning Premier League Liverpool have opened negotiations with Crystal Palace over a deal for centre-back Marc Guehi, with the proposed fee significantly lower than the FA Cup winners’ original valuation.
Transfer expert David Ornstein reports that discussions between the two clubs are now underway, with Liverpool offering £30 million plus a further £5 million in add-ons, the figure well below Palace’s earlier summer asking price, which started at around £65 million before dropping to £40 million.
Guehi, 25, is expected to leave Selhurst Park before the end of the transfer window, with Club’s chairman Steve Parish admitting publicly that a sale is likely.
“For players of that calibre to leave on a free, it’s a problem. No doubt about it, unfortunately,” Parish said following the Community Shield.
The England international is open to a move to Anfield, and talks have accelerated since Parish’s comments. Guehi has less than 12 months remaining on his current deal, a factor driving Palace’s willingness to cash in now rather than risk losing him for nothing next summer.
Liverpool are also monitoring Parma’s 18-year-old defender Giovanni Leoni. However, no formal approach has been made for the Italy youth international, who has yet to decide whether to leave his homeland at this stage in his career.
The signing of both players would not present financial or registration issues for the Reds. Guehi would count as homegrown in the Premier League, while Leoni would be classed as an under-21 player and could eventually qualify as homegrown after three years in England or Wales.
Liverpool’s urgent need for defensive reinforcements has been heightened by the sale of Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen and another injury setback for Joe Gomez.
That leaves Virgil van Dijk, now 34, and Ibrahima Konate — in the final year of his contract — as the only senior specialist centre-backs available to Arne Slot.
With the clock ticking towards the transfer deadline, Liverpool’s move for Guehi could be finalised in the coming days as they look to bolster their back line for the new season.
