Empire of the Kop
·21 June 2025
After Wirtz: Hughes not slowing down as Liverpool on the cusp of taking big step in £45m pursuit

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Yahoo sportsEmpire of the Kop
·21 June 2025
‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ is the name of a long-running U.S. sitcom, but that’s something Liverpool seem unable to do in this summer’s transfer window!
The Reds have already secured four additions for Arne Slot’s squad ahead of next season, with Giorgi Mamardashvili, Jeremie Frimpong and Armin Pecsi having been joined in the Anfield arrivals hall by Florian Wirtz, our club-record signing in a £116m deal which was confirmed on Friday evening.
Milos Kerkez is on course to become the latest recruit in the next few days, and even at that the Premier League champions are showing no signs of slowing down.
The Telegraph reported on Friday that Liverpool are ‘expected to make a significant offer’ for Marc Guehi, and they already seem to be on the cusp of taking a significant step in that particular pursuit.
According to TEAMtalk on Saturday morning, the Reds are ‘very close to reaching an agreement’ with the Crystal Palace defender on personal terms. If that hurdle is cleared soon, it’d enable them to begin formal talks with the Selhurst Park outfit.
The Eagles value the 24-year-old at £70m, but with his contract expiring in 12 months’ time, they could potentially be open to selling him for £45m this summer, with LFC determined to move quickly and beat off any competition for the England international.
No official offer has been made as of yet, but the two clubs are expected to initiate a dialogue soon.
(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
With Jarell Quansah’s proposed move to Bayer Leverkusen gathering serious pace in the past few days, Liverpool are seemingly wasting no time in seeking to bring in a centre-back replacement.
The Reds’ number 78 is expected to fetch £30m if he goes to Germany, which could go a long way towards funding a potential swoop for Guehi, if Palace can be convinced to sell the man who captained them to a historic FA Cup final victory last month.
An agreement on personal terms would suggest that the 24-year-old could be swayed into joining the Premier League champions, and Hughes showed with his unrelenting efforts to sign Wirtz that he’s capable of striking a deal for less than a selling club’s initial asking price.
The Eagles defender was praised by Micah Richards for his ‘calm and composed’ performances in helping England to reach the final of Euro 2024 (BBC Sport), and for Liverpool to get a homegrown player and proven top-flight operator (who’s also coming into his prime footballing years) for £45m would be excellent business.
It’s still early days in the pursuit of Guehi, but it already seems as though the Reds are moving with unmatched haste in trying to land yet another defensive acquisition this summer.