Newcastle suffer fresh transfer blow as Liverpool plot ambitious January move for top target
Newcastle could face huge competition for one of the Premier League’s most in-demand defenders
Premier League heavyweights Liverpool are expected to join the race to sign Newcastle United target Marc Guehi in the January transfer window as they begin their search for a long-term Virgil Van Dijk successor.
The Reds captain, aged 33, is currently in the final year of his contract at Anfield and is yet to agree a new deal with the club. He remains a key part of Arne Slot’s plans but is approaching the twilight years of his career, even if he does sign an extension in the coming months.
The Mirror understands that the Reds have been planning to move for Guehi in January if Newcastle were unsuccessful in their attempts to land him this summer. The Chelsea academy graduate was deemed too expensive to move for immediately, with Jarella Quansah, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez all also being at Slot’s disposal in defence.
Liverpool were fairly quiet in the summer window despite a change of manager, but did manage to land goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili of Valencia and winger Federico Chiesa from Juventus.
Guehi is a player that Slot rates highly after three excellent seasons at Crystal Palace and a string of impressive performances for England in their road to the Euro 2024 final in Germany. The 24-year-old has just two years remaining on his Crystal Palace contract and according to The Athletic has been stalling on signing a new long-term extension for a number of months.
He has, however, played every single game for the Eagles this season despite numerous failed attempts from Newcastle United to land him - including what Sky Sports News described as a club-record bid of £65m plus £5m in add-ons, in what would have exceeded the £63m that was paid for Alexander Isak.
Newcastle ultimately failed to sign a centre back on deadline day, leaving them with a backline of Fabian Schar, Dan Burn, Emil Krafth and Lloyd Kelly until Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles return from injury.
It remains to be seen whether Newcastle will return to the table for Guehi in January after arguably the most lacklustre transfer window of the PIF era.