Three defenders Liverpool can sign after Marc Guehi 'U-turn' with Barcelona gem and rival option
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The price of Liverpool's failure to sign Marc Guehi on transfer deadline day could be costly.
Rivals will be aware of this too, and foreign clubs hold the advantage as they are able to negotiate pre-contract agreements six months sooner than Premier League sides.
Now according to The Mirror, despite the 25-year-old's hunger to join the English champions, he is prepared to make a U-turn and 'has his heart set' on a free transfer to Spanish giants Real Madrid instead.
Remembering Ibrahima Konate's contract is also up at the end of the season for Liverpool, they have been backed into a corner in their search for defensive stability.
They've been linked with Barcelona's Ronald Araujo and Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven, though would not be able to sign either without paying over the odds.
He is a six-time Premier League winner, a one-time Champions League victor, and an England stalwart.
It would be a move that has shades of James Milner's arrival to Anfield in 2015 - the midfielder went on to serve Liverpool for several more years after City discarded of him.
Though admittedly it is a deal that would only work under specific conditions.
At 31, Stones isn't getting any younger and is already part of a faltering City defence.
Konate's contract needs renewing so that he can stay a part of the club, before this new option arrives as cover.
There is also his old allegiances to Everton to navigate - very rarely does a player represent both clubs in his career.
Eric Garcia is another proven title winner - one Premier League with City, two La Liga's with Barcelona, and an Olympic Games gold medal - but falls closer to the age group Liverpool were looking into with Guehi.
He will have turned 25 by the time his contract with La Blaugrana comes to an end in 2026.
But it may be that this opportunity does not come to pass for Liverpool as Garcia has already confirmed there are to be renewal talks with his existing club.
"Everything will be discussed soon.
Who knows, maybe I could be a candidate for captaincy in the future," he told Jijantes in an interview earlier in September.
Somewhat of a wildcard option to end, as Slot could look towards the Bundesliga again and find a hidden gem - Diogo Leite.
The 26-year-old was a product of FC Porto's academy and moved to Union Berlin in 2022, helping the club to secure Champions League qualification in his first season.
His progression has continued to the point where he is one of the German league's most-trusted central defenders.
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From a Liverpool perspective, their analysts may be intrigued to find that Leite is rated fourth-highest amongst central defenders who compare directly to Guehi, according to Fbref.com.
Per 90 minutes, the Portuguese averages 2.26 tackles to Guehi's 2.00, whilst both averaging close to 60 touches of the ball per game.
Importantly, Liverpool could sign him for free next summer at the current rate.