Marc Guehi's anticipated move to Liverpool collapsed on the final day of the summer transfer window, and four months later, he has joined Manchester City for £20m—a fee £15m less than what Liverpool had offered. The England international's departure from Crystal Palace has sparked unrest at Selhurst Park, with manager Oliver Glasner publicly unhappy about losing his captain. The transfer saga has left Liverpool facing questions over their transfer strategy, particularly after failing to secure a centre-back despite defensive vulnerabilities.
Liverpool's initial £35m deal for Guehi broke down in early September when Palace pulled the plug. Sources at Anfield suggested that Guehi remained of interest, but a January move was deemed unlikely. When City moved for the 24-year-old, Liverpool did not match their bid, partly due to the high salary and signing-on fee Guehi could command as he entered the final months of his Palace contract. However, critics point to miscalculations by Liverpool's sporting director Richard Hughes and CEO of Football Michael Edwards, who left the transfer to deadline day, leaving no time for alternatives.
The failure to strengthen has been compounded by injuries. Giovanni Leoni, who showed promise on debut, suffered a season-ending cruciate ligament injury. Ibrahima Konate has been ever-present in the Premier League but has made frequent errors, while Joe Gomez remains injury-prone and seemingly out of favour under Arne Slot. With Virgil van Dijk also a right-footed left-sided centre-back, questions persist over where Guehi would have fitted in, but the need for defensive reinforcement is clear.
Manchester City, meanwhile, view Guehi as a long-term acquisition rather than a short-term fix for injuries to Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol. The deal may allow Gvardiol to revert to left-back, potentially limiting Nico O'Reilly's opportunities. City's move also bodes poorly for John Stones, whose contract expires in the summer. Pep Guardiola has indicated fitness will determine Stones' future.
Liverpool's summer spending of £450m still left gaps in the squad, with Konate's contract ending this season. The club had hoped to generate £35m from selling Harvey Elliott to Aston Villa, but that deal now appears unlikely. The Guehi episode underscores a rare misstep for Liverpool's transfer team, who now face a crucial summer window to address defensive concerns.
