Liverpool could be forced to move early in their pursuit of Marc Guehi, with reports suggesting Crystal Palace are ready to cash in on the defender during the January transfer window.
The England international has already informed Palace that he will not be signing a new contract, effectively confirming his departure at the end of the season. However, with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City also showing interest, Palace are now expected to sanction a mid-season sale rather than risk losing him for nothing next summer.
According to The i newspaper, Palace’s priority is to secure a transfer fee while they still can, ending Guehi’s six-year spell at Selhurst Park. His decision not to extend his deal has left manager Oliver Glasner and chairman Steve Parish facing a tough choice ahead of January.
“Marc has already told us he won’t sign a new contract, so he will leave next year,” Glasner confirmed on Friday. “The club offered him a new deal, but he said he wants something different. That’s football. Now we must find the best way to handle the situation and take the next step.”
Liverpool came close to signing Guehi last summer, but the move fell through when Palace were unable to bring in a replacement. Their top target, Igor Julio, ultimately joined West Ham, prompting Parish to block Guehi’s exit.
“It was a very difficult decision,” Parish explained to talkSPORT. “We felt that, given our first season in the Conference League and what’s at stake in the Premier League, it made more sense to keep him. These things are rarely black and white — but keeping Marc gave us a better chance of success this year.”
With his contract running down and Europe’s elite now circling, Liverpool must decide whether to revive their interest in January or risk losing the 24-year-old to a continental rival, who could begin negotiating a pre-contract agreement once the window opens.
Originally planning to wait until summer 2026 to target Guehi as a free agent, Liverpool may now have to accelerate their efforts if they want to fend off competition from Europe’s biggest clubs.