(Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media/Imago)

Charlie Grace

Mon 18 August 2025 16:07, UK

Liverpool look set to step up their pursuit of Crystal Palace’s captain Marc Guehi as the transfer window nears it’s final weeks.

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The Premier League champions kicked off their title defence in high-octane fashion in an enthralling curtain-raiser at Anfield on Friday, winning 4-2 against Bournemouth.

Despite their incisive attacking play Arne Slot’s team were regularly carved open by Bournemouth on the counter-attack and defensive transitions look to be a major concern for the Dutchman.

Virgil Van Dijk leaned on his experience to effectively defend open spaces with the absence of a true defensive midfielder ahead of the back four, but as the full-backs bombed on and the midfield was vacated, it was his Liverpool team-mate Ibrahima Konate who looked to struggle with the vast acres of Anfield grass he had to cover.

Liverpool have long admired Guehi, who hoisted the Community Shield following Palace’s victory over the Reds on penalties and Liverpool could now look set to accelerate their deal for the 25-year-old.

Marc Guehi lifted Crystal Palace’s first ever FA Cup in May (Credit: Imago)

Liverpool have made an expensive outlay this summer adding more than £300million worth of talent as they look to defend the Premier League title this season.

BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel has now made a strong statement regarding the possibility of Guehi heading to Anfield this summer, posting on their live blog (18 August): “There’s still a lot to get done in that deal but there are legs in it and if I were a betting man, then I’d put money on that deal to get done before the transfer window closes.

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“Liverpool and Crystal Palace have held discussions about a possible £35million deal for Marc Guehi to go to Anfield before the transfer deadline.

“There is still no agreement but those talks should accelerate in the next few days but the success of that deal hinges on whether the chairman Steve Parish sees Liverpool’s deal and their valuation of the player enough to let their captain go.”

The senior football correspondent did, however, add: “It may be that Parish decides that the deal isn’t enough, and the fee isn’t enough and it may be more valuable for him to stay until the end of the season and the 12 months until his contract runs out than it would actually to recoup the money.”

Faced with the potential exit of Eberechi Eze as well, Palace may look to retain the services of their captain and defensive stalwart Guehi, in hopes that they can build on their 12th place finish last season.

Hugo Ekitike scored and assisted on his Liverpool debut (Credit: Imago)

Football Insider verdict

Liverpool never had any problems scoring goals last season, notching 86 goals in their 38 league games last term ( the league’s best attack), and they were fairly solid defensively only conceding 41 goals (second best in the league).

Not a lot has changed over the summer, but as Slot added two of Europe’s best attacking full-backs in Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, and two of the Bundesliga’s best forward threats in Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, some were wary of how the balance of this side would look.



Summer arrivalsPrevious clubFlorian WirtzBayer LeverkusenHugo EkitikeEintracht FrankfurtJeremie FrimpongBayer LeverkusenMilos KerkezAFC BournemouthGiovanni LeoniParmaLiverpool’s major incomings this summer

Ryan Gravenberch was a big miss at the base of the midfield and Slot opted for Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister in a double pivot behind Wirtz and the lack of defensive quality hurt Liverpool against a strong transitional side in Bournemouth.

Ekitike was exceptional in his Anfield debut, driving and shooting on goal to open his account within half an hour of his first Liverpool appearance, while the other three big arrivals were largely ineffective.

The advanced full-backs left huge areas for the centre-backs to cover and despite his side’s attacking prowess their defensive work leaves a lot to be desired.

In matches against more traditional ‘top’ sides Slot may look to include a more recognisable number six in Wataru Endo but unlike last season, Slot’s Liverpool side look more fragile than they have before, it just depends on whether opponents can outscore the Reds.

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