Exclusive: Liverpool identify £39m ‘born leader’ as viable centre-back alternative to Marc Guehi | OneFootball

Liverpool will no doubt continue to be linked with Marc Guehi throughout the rest of August, but he isn’t the only Premier League captain who’s seemingly on the radar at Anfield.

The Reds’ hopes of landing the Crystal Palace defender appear to have been boosted by comments from Eagles chairman Steve Parish stating that he wants the 25-year-old’s situation to be resolved quickly, with the centre-back into the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park.

Fabrizio Romano has duly claimed that the England international is ‘likely’ to move on from the newly-crowned Community Shield winners this month, although LFC sporting director Richard Hughes has a Plan B in mind if any pursuit of the south Londoners’ number 6 were to fail.

Liverpool identify Nathan Collin as Guehi alternative

According to sources close to Empire of the Kop, Liverpool have Nathan Collins on their radar as they explore potential centre-back options in the final three weeks of the summer transfer window, although they’ve yet to submit an official offer for the Brentford captain.

The 24-year-old has stood out to the Anfield hierarchy with his consistent performances and leadership qualities, and the Bees value him in the €40m-€45m bracket (£34.6m-£39m), with the Irishman protected by a long-term deal which runs to 2029 and sees him earn €1.8m (£1.56m) per year.

While the Reds have a genuine interest in the former Burnley and Wolves defender, Guehi is still viewed as a more realistic target for the Premier League champions, given his far more delicate contract situation at Palace.

(Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

Guehi is still Liverpool’s optimum target at centre-back

The Eagles skipper would obviously be the most desired target, given his high-level experience for club and country and his status as a homegrown player, although it’s essential that Liverpool end the transfer window with more than three senior centre-backs.

Collins might be viewed as Plan B, but he’s still a Premier League-proven defender entrusted with the captaincy of his team and hailed as a ‘born leader’ by Brentford on their official website.

As per FBref, the 24-year-old was among the best players in his position across Europe’s five main leagues last season for core defensive metrics such as blocks (2.03), clearances (5.95) and aerial duels won (3.08) per 90 minutes. He also featured among the top 20% of that subset with his match averages for assists and non-penalty xG.

All those attributes could make him a useful option for Arne Slot to add to his squad, although convincing the Irishman to swap the captaincy at the Gtech Community Stadium for a backup role at Anfield could be challenging. Indeed, compatriot Caoimhin Kelleher moved in the opposite direction this summer in search of regular game-time.

In truth, Collins would appear to be simply the next in line for Liverpool if they’re unable to land Guehi, who’s the most preferable target. If the latter proves unattainable, though, the Bees defender could be a smart addition to our defensive ranks if he can be enticed to leave west London.