Liverpool warned to beware top-flight rival in Marc Guehi pursuit as ‘preferred option’ indicated | OneFootball

One reliable journalist has simultaneously handed encouragement and issued a cautionary note to Liverpool regarding a pursuit of Marc Guehi.

Fabrizio Romano has indicated that the Reds will ‘soon’ make a decision on whether or not to launch a bid for the Crystal Palace defender this month, something that ex-Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown believes will happen.

The 25-year-old is into the final 12 months of his contract at Selhurst Park, and BBC reporter Sami Mokbel claimed last week that ‘there are no signs’ of the player extending that deal, although it seems that he could yet commit to the Eagles.

What’s the latest on Marc Guehi?

On Tuesday afternoon, The Guardian writer Ed Aarons took to X with an update on Guehi, who might be happy to stay put with the FA Cup holders but would prefer to join Liverpool over Newcastle, who could potentially go back in for him after seeing big-money offers rejected for him over the past year.

The journalist posted: ‘Understand Crystal Palace yet to receive offers for Marc Guehi, who is said to be happy to stay at Selhurst Park and see out final year of his contract. Liverpool still thought to be his preferred option but Newcastle could revive interest. Palace want £40m (rejected £70m in Jan).’

(Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

Liverpool cannot let Guehi join a direct rival

If Guehi ultimately decides to remain at Selhurst Park, or if the Eagles manage to fend off any prospective suitors for him, that’d be disappointing for Liverpool but would at least still be tolerable.

However, if the Reds fail to do enough to prevent him from joining a Premier League rival in Newcastle, that’d constitute a significant blot on the Anfield hierarchy’s copybook, especially with Arne Slot’s squad badly in need of centre-back reinforcement.

LFC aren’t in a position to hang tight and try to get the England international on a free transfer next year, not with only three natural senior central defenders at the club (including the currently injured Joe Gomez and the exit-linked Ibrahima Konate).

All things considered, £40m is well worth paying for Guehi, who’d not only give Liverpool some much-needed strengthening in a threadbare part of the squad, but would also contribute towards our homegrown quota and provide an assured, Premier League-proven option with a track record for excelling on the big stage.

It’d be baffling for sporting director Richard Hughes not to submit an offer to Palace for the 25-year-old this month at the very least, and unacceptable for the Reds to miss out on him to a direct top-flight rival, given our current defensive situation.