Liverpool’s hopes of resurrecting a deal for Marc Guehi in the January transfer window or next summer are reportedly set to be shattered.
The Crystal Palace defender came agonisingly close to joining Arne Slot’s side on deadline day at the start of September in a move worth £35m.
The deal was agreed – and Guehi even filmed a farewell message to fans – but Palace’s failure to sign a replacement saw the transfer called off.
It was believed that Liverpool were plotting to get the deal done in January – but they’re now set for a transfer blow over the England international star.
That’s according to The Mirror, who report that Guehi now has his heart set on a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid instead.
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Guehi is said to be ‘excited by the prospect of playing abroad’ and featuring alongside fellow Englishmen Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Foreign clubs able to sign a pre-contract agreement with Guehi in January, because the player has already entered the final 12 months of his contract.
England boss Thomas Tuchel recently heaped praise on Guehi after his deadline day move to Liverpool from Palace dramatically collapsed.
‘We had a chat with him and he looks absolutely fine,’ Tuchel said about the 25-year-old centre-back, who helped Palace win the FA Cup last season.
‘He looks very impressive on the field. He has a couple of very impressive weeks behind him on the sporting side and the performance side.
‘He is the main driver of Crystal Palace’s success. He is the captain and the leader.
‘He played very impressively at the end of last season and at the start of this season.
‘He continued exactly like this in camp, so it was very impressive. He handles it with respect and with grace, and with a brilliant attitude.’
Liverpool head coach Slot, meanwhile, said: ‘For us it was of course a disappointment, for the player I assume, as well, because he was expecting to come to us.
‘I try to put myself in the player’s shoes, but that can happen with a player from us as well, maybe a player wanted to leave but in the end couldn’t because we couldn’t get a player we wanted.
‘That happens in football many times and the good thing in football is, especially after the international break, everybody comes back, accepts the situation and knows he has to perform well.
‘But if a player wants a transfer that he doesn’t get, then you always feel for him.
‘If it’s a player of my team, you talk to him, make sure he gets his energy back and keeps going again, and that is probably what has happened at Palace with Marc Guehi.’
