'Liverpool should have signed Marc Guehi before Alexander Isak - there are no guarantees now'
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Liverpool Echo IconSportFootballLiverpool FCMarc Guehi status as a free agent at the end of the season means Liverpool will face increased competition for the Crystal Palace captain, according to one former Reds starMarc Guehi's status as a free agent at the end of the season means Liverpool will face increased competition for the Crystal Palace captain, says former defender Jason McAteer.And former Ireland international McAteer believes Arne Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes should have pursued England star Guehi ahead of a British-transfer record deal for Alexander Isak from Newcastle United at the end of the summer window.Liverpool signed Isak for a £125m on September 1 but saw a £35m agreement for Guehi fall through on the same day after Palace pulled the plug at the 11th hour after their attempts to recruit Igor Julio from Brighton & Hove Albion were scuppered.READ MORE: Liverpool star Hugo Ekitike achieves 'childhood dream' as 'perfect substitute' scores stunning France goalREAD MORE: Liverpool could benefit from unexpected transfer windfall as Xabi Alonso phone call sharedThe Premier League champions retain an interest in Guehi and could sign the centre-back next summer for nothing when his Palace deal expires, but McAteer is expecting much more competition for the player's signature given he can move as a free agent.“Being a free agent brings everyone into the conversation," McAteer told AceOdds. "It brings Bayern Munich in, it brings Real Madrid, Barcelona and other clubs in as well."If Liverpool drop off, there is no guarantee that they will qualify for the Champions League and that could be one thing which Guehi wants when moving as a free agent.“It could also be a change of culture or something else.
He might end up at Real Madrid and Guehi is a real talent who would go directly into the first team. It really is a concern that Liverpool missed out on him.“Marc Guehi is 100% a player I would like at Liverpool, and I would have liked him to come in before Isak.
Players come around and you may just get one opportunity, because other teams would look at Isak thinking he could be a reinforcement in January getting their team over the line."So, you could have missed out on Isak, but they already had Ekitike. They would have sold him at the right price, keeping in mind he is a free agent at the end of the season.”Liverpool knocks 50% off kits and merchThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it.