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Liverpool Eyeing Marc Guehi as Quansah Set for Leverkusen Switch

Hello and welcome to this developing story — I’m reporting live on a key update from Liverpool’s transfer activity.

In a move that could shake up the Reds’ backline, Jarell Quansah is poised to complete a transfer to Bayer Leverkusen, opening the door for a defensive reshuffle at Anfield. With Quansah set to exit, Liverpool are now prioritizing the signing of Marc Guehi, and I’m hearing he’s firmly at the top of their list.

Now, here’s where things get interesting — Arsenal, another Premier League giant, is also in the hunt for Guehi. However, their pursuit could hit a snag if they land Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia. Should that happen, it might just clear the path for Liverpool to move in decisively.

Let’s talk about Guehi for a moment. At 24, the Crystal Palace star has emerged as one of England’s most consistent centre-backs. With just a year left on his current contract, he could be available for a cut-price fee this summer — a potential bargain for clubs seeking long-term defensive reinforcements.

At Liverpool, the need for stability in central defense is growing. Not only is Ibrahima Konaté entering the final 12 months of his deal, but Virgil van Dijk turns 34 next month. Meanwhile, Joe Gomez is still working his way back after a hamstring injury that sidelined him in early February.

In that context, signing Guehi could offer both immediate and future cover. Sources close to the player suggest Anfield might be his preferred destination. In fact, earlier this week, reports surfaced that Guehi had told friends he would rather join Liverpool than move to Newcastle or Tottenham — both of whom have expressed strong interest.

From a tactical standpoint, Liverpool may have the upper hand. Unlike Arsenal, who boast the formidable duo of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães — with both tied down to long-term deals — Liverpool may be able to offer Guehi a clearer path to first-team football, particularly if Konaté leaves next summer.

Over at Arsenal, Gabriel has just inked a new contract, and talks are ongoing with Saliba, whose current deal runs until 2026. Should Mosquera also arrive at the Emirates, Guehi’s playing time could become limited — something the Reds will be hoping to capitalize on.

According to The Guardian, Guehi is even open to seeing out his current Palace deal and leaving for free in 2026, though Liverpool would prefer to act swiftly to secure him this summer.

Liverpool have already made headlines this window with the signings of Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz, and Milos Kerkez, racking up a combined spend of around $250 million, including add-ons. And I can confirm — they’re not done yet.

With funds boosted by the exits of Caoimhin Kelleher, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and soon Jarell Quansah, Liverpool’s recruitment drive shows no signs of slowing down.

We’ll continue monitoring this developing story as it unfolds — stay tuned for more updates as Liverpool move closer to what could be a critical summer signing.

Live update: Liverpool’s pursuit of a central defender this summer is gaining momentum, with Marc Guehi emerging as a top target. However, complications in a parallel transfer saga involving Crystal Palace could delay or even derail the move.

Liverpool has been eyeing a central defender for some time—since last summer, in fact. While the renewal of Virgil van Dijk’s contract eased immediate urgency, the potential sale of Jarell Quansah is expected to push Liverpool back into the market. Van Dijk, who turns 34 next month, means succession planning remains crucial, especially with Ibrahima Konate entering the final year of his contract, raising doubts over his future at Anfield.

Meanwhile, Joe Gomez, celebrating his 10-year anniversary at Liverpool, has shown his commitment to the club, but injuries have limited his impact. Liverpool still needs to strengthen its center-back options to ensure squad depth and quality.

That’s where Marc Guehi comes into the picture. The 24-year-old Crystal Palace defender has impressed consistently in the Premier League, and Liverpool sees him as a viable and affordable option. Guehi is in the final year of his contract and has reportedly made it clear he won’t extend. This puts pressure on Crystal Palace to sell now or risk losing him on a free next summer.

Yet, Palace isn’t expected to simply cave. Liverpool’s recent contract saga, which saw star players Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah sign extensions while Trent Alexander-Arnold left for a comparatively small fee, serves as a cautionary tale.

Crystal Palace has been actively scouting potential replacements, focusing heavily on Ousmane Diomande from Sporting Lisbon. But here lies the snag: a significant valuation gap exists between the two clubs.

Palace would need to break its transfer record to land Diomande—an amount previously set when signing Christian Benteke from Liverpool for $43.5 million (£32 million) back in 2016. Sporting, however, values Diomande closer to $69 million (£51 million), making negotiations far from straightforward.

This stalemate means Palace may hesitate to sell Guehi until they secure their target, creating a bottleneck in the transfer chain. Even if a deal proceeds, Liverpool risks facing inflated fees for Guehi, as Palace looks to cover costs from a potential Diomande purchase.

It’s worth noting a $95 million (£70 million) bid from Spurs for Guehi was rejected in January, but Liverpool hopes to agree on a figure closer to $54 million (£40 million).

In this delicate balancing act, Palace doesn’t hold all the leverage—losing Guehi for free next summer remains a genuine threat. Still, the longer Sporting holds firm on Diomande, the more Liverpool might consider shifting focus elsewhere.

This transfer saga is far from over. We’ll keep you updated live as it unfolds.