Marc Guehi's January Move Takes Major Twist as Transfer Saga Heats Up
Should Marc Guéhi depart Crystal Palace during the January transfer window, Liverpool appears to be his sole viable option for a winter move. The scenario changes dramatically if he chooses to wait until the summer transfer period.
Guéhi has clearly indicated his intention to leave Crystal Palace before the 2026–27 season begins. Nevertheless, the Eagles remain optimistic about retaining their influential skipper through the end of this campaign, having accepted his eventual departure as a free agent in summer 2026 after rejecting Liverpool's £35 million ($45.8 million) offer on transfer deadline day.
The reigning Premier League titleholders continue to monitor Guéhi's situation, and sources in south London suggest their defender could still end up at Anfield before this season concludes.
Palace believes Liverpool represents the only club prepared to submit an offer this January for a player who becomes available without a transfer fee just six months later, according to Sky Sports News.
Liverpool faces significant competition for Guéhi's services. Manchester United has recently joined the race, while Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid are reportedly monitoring the situation. German powerhouse Bayern Munich is highlighted as particularly interested by Sky Sports News.
Nevertheless, the same source emphasizes that these clubs are unlikely to pursue Guéhi in January. European teams can begin negotiations with the England defender from January 1st regarding a potential free transfer when his Palace deal expires on June 30, while United must legally wait until July to initiate discussions.
Liverpool could also delay until the summer window to complete this anticipated transfer, though the Reds might not have that option given their current difficulties.
Jamie Carragher: Liverpool Must Invest in January
The defending Premier League champions currently sit in eighth position. VAR decisions can only account for so much, as evident defensive weaknesses plague Arne Slot's squad.
Ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has identified the shortage of depth in his former position as a critical concern for the remainder of the campaign.
"Liverpool must make signings in January, they require a centre back addition, they should have acquired one during the summer," he stated to Sky Sports.
"They failed to do so, and the one centre back they did acquire, [Giovanni] Leoni, a promising Italian talent, impressed in his appearance during a Carabao Cup match. Regrettably, he suffered an ACL injury, meaning we won't see him until the following season.
"Liverpool are likely just one centre back injury away from seriously compromising their season, making January recruitment essential."
Carragher endorsed most of the summer transfer activity. Florian Wirtz may not have immediately justified his transfer fee but offers potential as an additional creative force, while both flanks required reinforcement.
The exits of Darwin Núñez and Luis Díaz, combined with the heartbreaking loss of Diogo Jota, certainly created space for two new attacking players. However, Carragher questioned the logic behind signing both Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitiké as traditional strikers.
"When you invest that amount of money, and it becomes an either-or situation ... it doesn't seem characteristic of Liverpool," he remarked, "... or at least how we've approached transfers in recent years."