Barcelona and Real Madrid Hold Secret Weapon in Marc Guehi Battle Against Liverpool

Crystal Palace are prepared to consider bids for defender Marc Guéhi during the January transfer window, with reports suggesting Barcelona and Real Madrid hold the strongest positions to land his services.

Guéhi came close to joining Liverpool during the summer, with the Reds agreeing terms with Palace and completing medical examinations on the England defender, but his current club eventually withdrew from negotiations in the final stages of the transfer period.

The 25-year-old defender enters the last year of his deal and is anticipated to leave Palace at some point during 2026. According to Sky Sports News, the Eagles are willing to consider "substantial bids" for Guéhi starting in January.

The challenge, though, lies in the magnitude of potential offers. Teams are hesitant to pay significant transfer fees for a player they could acquire without cost just months later, which means Palace might ultimately choose there's greater benefit in retaining him through the rest of the season.

This explains why Liverpool aren't anticipated to make a January approach for Guéhi, instead choosing to pursue him as a free agent next summer. Importantly, Premier League teams must wait until the season concludes to negotiate with Guéhi, while foreign clubs can begin discussions as early as January.

Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich are all expected to pursue Guéhi's services in January and will have multiple months to negotiate an agreement before Liverpool can legally join the competition.

Guéhi himself isn't believed to be seeking a January departure from Palace. He's featuring consistently and likely to secure his place in England's World Cup roster, enhancing his prospects of joining one of Europe's top clubs.

Assuming Guéhi stays healthy, he'll have numerous options when summer arrives. He could decline all approaches and wait for Liverpool to renew their interest, though the quality of clubs expected to contact him in January might make that choice challenging.