Liverpool given new Marc Guehi boost as Crystal Palace line up replacement
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Ben Palmer
Mon 1 September 2025 9:46, UK
Liverpool have been given a pursuit of Marc Guehi as Crystal Palace battle with another Premier League club for a potential replacement for their captain.
The Merseyside giants are in advanced talks to sign the England defender, 25, after Liverpool had an official bid of £35million for Guehi rejected by Palace on Saturday.
Virgil van Dijk and Real Madrid target Ibrahima Konate are Arne Slot’s first-choice options, but behind them, the Dutchman only has an injury-prone Joe Gomez and new teenage signing from Parma, Giovanni Leoni, to call upon.
Liverpool backroom staff are on standby to complete a medical for Guehi at a time when Palace are under pressure to secure a fee for the player as his contract expires next summer.
The Eagles had been hesitant to part ways with their captain, but Oliver Glasner’s side are now pursuing a Brighton defender, which could pave the path for the defender to move to Anfield.
(Credit Imago)
Brighton defender Igor is a target for Palace on loan, talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent Alex Crook revealed on X.
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The Brazilian defender has made 50 appearances in all competitions for the Seagulls since joining from Fiorentina in the summer of 2023.
However, Igor played just 16 times last season and Brighton have signed Olivier Boscagli and Diego Coppola as new centre-back options this window.
But Palace are not the only side interested in signing the 27-year-old, as Crook revealed on X that West Ham are one of several teams that also hold an interest in the defender.
Football Insider Verdict
Aside from the battle to secure a number nine, there have been no other positions as highly sought-after in recent times as centre-back.
Man City‘s decision to gamble on Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov last January, and Real Madrid’s snapping up of Dean Huijsen before the summer window had even begun, show how desperately difficult it can be to find options to marshal the heart of their defence.
And in fact, Liverpool’s acquisition of Leoni also shows just how competitive the market is, as the Reds paid £26million [BBC Sport] for a defender who has made just 40 senior appearances throughout his career.
Rome, Italy 28.4.2025 : Giovanni Leoni of Parma during Italian football championship Serie A Enilive 2024-2025 derby match SS Lazio vs Parma Calcio 1913 at Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
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With Konate yet to agree to a new contract due to the interest being shown by Spanish giants Madrid, completing a deal to sign Guehi could be their best signing of the summer.
The England international will have the luxury of time to bed into Slot’s side, whilst also contributing in cup competitions throughout the season.
And should Konate choose to leave next summer, Liverpool will have a ready-made replacement, rather than the need to scramble and pay over the odds for a new centre-back.