According to reports, Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi has decided to perform a ‘sensational U-turn’ on whether to join Premier League giants Liverpool.
In the summer, Guehi looked likely to join Liverpool from Palace as he favoured the Reds over Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.
The England international was available for a cut-price fee as his current Palace contract expires at the end of the 2025/26 campaign, with the centre-back priced at around £35m.
Liverpool spent around £414.5m in the summer to sign Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Giovanni Leoni.
Despite this, Liverpool had the necessary funds to sign Guehi on deadline day following the exits of Harvey Elliott, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and Jarell Quansah, but they could not get the deal over the line.
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Liverpool and Palace reached an agreement over a £35m transfer on deadline day, but Palace decided to pull the plug at the eleventh hour as they failed to land a suitable replacement.
This was a blow for Liverpool, who risk being left short at the back if Virgil van Dijk and/or Ibrahima Konate get injured.
Liverpool are expected to return for Guehi in January or next summer, but they risk missing out on the centre-back, who is linked with several Premier League and European giants ahead of becoming a free agent in 2026.
Recent reports have suggested that Liverpool face competition from Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, with the defender ‘ready to make a sensational U-turn’.
This is according to The Mirror, who are reporting that he is ‘clear’ on his new ‘dream transfer’, with ‘his advisors told that his heart is set on a move to Real Madrid after an agreement to join Liverpool collapsed at the 11th hour’.
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The report also points out that this leaves Liverpool at risk of a ‘double blow’ as Konate is also on Real Madrid’s radar and could join the Spanish giants upon the expiry of his current contract next year.
As for Guehi, a reason for his verdict is that he is ‘excited by the prospect of playing abroad for the Spanish giant’.
The report adds:
‘Having been informed that Real Madrid are now poised to enter negotiations for the 25-year-old who won praise for his handling of the recent transfer speculation.
‘It means the ball is now in his court with no transfer fee required next summer and foreign clubs able to sign a pre-contract agreement over Guehi in January.’
