Liverpool’s pursuit of Marc Guehi has taken some supporters by surprise this summer.

The Reds are in need of a new centre-back, perhaps even two, after selling Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen.

However, given his high-profile status and the likely cost of getting him out of Crystal Palace, Guehi had not seemed like a realistic option for Liverpool.

Nevertheless, after reports that Liverpool are closing in on Guehi over the weekend, the 24-year-old is clearly a live target for Richard Hughes and Arne Slot.

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Further updates have suggested that Liverpool are not willing to pay a big fee for Guehi, while there have also been claims that the player himself would not agree to the move without guarantees of playing time.

Although a verdict on the eventual price of a deal has yet to be delivered, journalist David Lynch says it looks as though Guehi’s worries of being left out of the team at Anfield have ended.

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Clearly, the worry for Guehi will be that he is arriving into a backline which already has an established first choice centre-back pairing.

However, there are worries over Ibrahima Konate’s contract situation.

And according to Lynch, Liverpool appear to have made certain promises to Guehi during initial conversations.

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“It’s an interesting one because all I’m hearing is that he wants guarantees around game time,” the reporter told Anfield Index.

I guess it’s genuine competition and the ability to displace Konate will be there.”

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“They must be telling him something that makes him think he’s getting some minutes,” Lynch adds.

But they must have a plan or something that’s made him give the green light to say that he wants to come.”

While this will be good news for those fans hoping for Guehi to arrive, it does throw further doubt on the future of Konate.

That is not to say that the Frenchman would not start over Guehi.

Guehi could allow them to do that.

Nevertheless, should the Palace captain arrive at Anfield this summer, it will feel more likely than ever that Konate is due to depart.

By the sounds of things, Liverpool don’t think it will be Guehi.
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