Why Liverpool Did Not Rival Man City for Marc Guehi Transfer—Report

Liverpool came agonisingly close to signing the centre back during the summer window.

Marc Guéhi has joined Man City. | Sebastian Frej/Getty Images

Liverpool declined to join the race to sign Marc Guéhi this winter after deciding Manchester City’s newest signing no longer represented good value for money, a report has revealed.

Guéhi sealed a switch to City on Monday worth an initial £20 million ($26.8 million), leaving many Liverpool fans frustrated to see their side pass up on a player for whom a £35 million switch was agreed during the summer.

Liverpool had been expected to challenge for Guéhi’s signature at the end of the season, when his contract with Crystal Palace was due to expire and most of Europe’s elite would join the race, but City ended those hopes after an injury crisis in defence left the Cityzens prepared to pay up immediately.

According to The Athletic, it was the cost of the deal which saw Liverpool refuse to make a play for Guéhi this month.

While the initial fee of £20 million would appear to represent a huge bargain, it is stressed that securing Guéhi’s signature cost significantly higher. There is no mention of the true cost of the deal, but with signing-on fees and agent fees to factor in, City’s true outlay for Guéhi sits well above £20 million.

Guéhi’s wages, which are also believed to sit at over £300,000 per week, also left Liverpool feeling the deal no longer represented good value for money for a player who was due to be available for free in six months.

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Centre Back to Be Revisited in the Summer

Centre back will be a priority area for Liverpool in the summer. | Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images

Liverpool were not looking to do business in the January window even before it became clear that Guéhi would move, and those in charge still have no plans to enter the market unless another opportunity arises.

It will be in the summer when Liverpool look to reinforce their defence, with a number of potential signings to be made.

Ibrahima Konaté’s contract will expire in the summer and signs of an extension have been few and far between. His departure would leave 34-year-old Virgil van Dijk alone with 19-year-old Giovanni Leoni, who will miss the entire season with a knee injury, and the versatile Joe Gomez as Liverpool’s only senior defenders.

With Van Dijk turning 35 in July, finding a long-term successor is thought to be on the cards for Liverpool, who are drawing up a list of targets ahead of the summer window.

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