Richard Hughes already knows Liverpool faces a major problem with Marc Guehi transfer

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It might sound cynical after the window Liverpool has just had, but it did of course miss out on one of its big targets.

Given the way Marc Guehi’s move collapsed, you certainly can’t lay the blame at Hughes’ door.

After all, the deal was agreed and the defender had already undergone his medical, only for Crystal Palace to pull the plug at the eleventh hour.

Reports of Guehi being enraged at his current club’s decision tell their own story, and although Liverpool would certainly be happier if the 25-year-old were a Red right now, Hughes and co can console themselves in knowing that the groundwork is done.

The decision now, assuming another center-back doesn’t take the club’s fancy in the meantime, is whether to go back in for Guehi in January, or wait until next summer to get him for free.

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Marc Guehi's move to Liverpool collapsed on transfer deadline day

Liverpool would almost certainly get a reduction on the $47 million deal that was agreed if it went for the earlier option, but getting a player as good as Guehi for nothing will be more than a little tempting - and it might chime in with Hughes’ approach to transfers.

“With the window open, we'll always be opportunistic if we can,” Hughes said last year.

You don’t get much more opportunistic than signing one of the Premier League’s best defenders for free, and as long as Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni don’t break down in the meantime, that will be the most attractive prospect.

It does come with its own risks though

Already, other clubs are being linked with Guehi, and if he finds himself in a position where he can speak freely to anyone, he might well consider his options beyond Liverpool.

And Hughes knows there’s another problem lying in wait should the Reds choose to wait until next summer.



Depending on how far England goes, Guehi may look to delay any decision over his future, which might leave Liverpool a little more on edge.

Hopefully, given he already knows of the Reds’ interest, his head won’t be turned by another club before he finally gets the chance to complete a move to Anfield