Liverpool are in pole position to sign Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, with talks between the clubs expected to escalate in the next 24 hours, per Andy Dunn of The Mirror.

The 24-year-old centre-back is seen as a priority target for Arne Slot’s revamped Liverpool, with Crystal Palace demanding north of £40 million—partially due to a 20% Chelsea sell-on clause.

Guehi, capped 23 times for England, captained Palace to FA Cup glory last season and stood out as one of Gareth Southgate’s best defenders at Euro 2024.

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While his current deal expires in 2026, the contract is believed to include conditions that leave Palace vulnerable to a cut-price sale—a situation Liverpool are eager to exploit.

According to The Mirror, Chelsea’s clause and Palace’s move for Ousmane Diomande (valued similarly at ~£40m) indicate a willingness to do business below Guehi’s widely reported £70m valuation.

With Jarell Quansah departing to Bayer Leverkusen for up to £35 million (with a buy-back clause), Liverpool are flush with funds and motivation to replace him with a more seasoned option.

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The numbers back it up: Guehi ranked in the top 8% of PL centre-backs for duels won last season and top 16% in aerial duels, per FBref.

With Konaté’s deal up in 2026 and no breakthrough in extension talks, and Van Dijk approaching 34, Guehi’s arrival could be a cornerstone of Liverpool’s next defensive era.

Slot’s rebuild is already aggressive—Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili, and two goalkeepers have arrived—and Guehi could be next.

As Dunn puts it, “It has been a serious statement of intent by Liverpool.”

If this deal crosses the line, Liverpool won’t just have a defender—they’ll have their future captain in waiting.

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