Did The Reds Lost Out On Opportunity to Acquire Marc Guehi?
Marc Guehi captained his team when they claimed victory in the Community Shield against Liverpool in the summer.
Within over a month, Palace skipper Marc Guehi will be able to complete a move a club abroad when his deal runs out on 30 June.
The 25-year-old can sign a preliminary deal with a foreign club when the January window commences on 1 January 2026.
Liverpool missed the opportunity to buy the Three Lions defender for £35m in the summer. The prolonged negotiations, which dragged on throughout the window, ended when Palace were not in a position to secure a suitable replacement.
It resulted in the Selhurst Park side missing out on a significant fee for the player with just twelve months left on his contract, but retained their key player after parting with another star to Arsenal a week earlier.
Liverpool are still interested to renew their interest, though there are uncertainties the transfer will materialise.
The defender now has alternatives and it is understood elite teams in Europe have already expressed an interest.
Guehi, though, is not the sole high-profile defender who might be on the market on a free transfer next summer.
Liverpool's own French defender has also been linked with a switch to Real Madrid at the end of his contract, potentially following in the path of ex- defensive partner Trent Alexander-Arnold.
However, reports on recently suggested Los Blancos have halted their reported chase, with no concrete interest evident.
His uncertain future has been often mentioned as a factor for his dip in performance.
Real Madrid could lose players the German, 32, and David Alaba, also in his thirties, this summer with both about to enter the final seven months of their agreements.
It positions the Palace star and the Frenchman as possibilities if they are to enter the open market to reinforce at defense - a approach they have used repeatedly in the past few years.
The Defender Matches Real Madrid's Strategy
The La Liga side do hold an interest in the Englishman and he aligns with a clear squad need at centre-back.
The young defender has emerged as a regular, but the Brazilian and the experienced defender have both had injury issues. He is now in his 30s, Raul Asencio has not fully convinced and the veteran has slowed down after a long spell on the sidelines.
Guehi, a proven Premier League defender with character, speed and plenty of sound judgment, is seen as the kind of calming influence who can compete straight away for minutes.
His situation sits alongside the club's broader transfer policy: three kinds of deals. First, the promising player who can develop into a star. Second, the cost-free but established player, where substantial signing-on fees substitute for transfer costs.
Finally, the high-cost signing reserved for specific targets considered as instant starters.