Liverpool to open talks for priority target that got away last summer

It’s no secret that Liverpool have got several issues to solve at centre-back over the next few transfer windows.

Sporting director Richard Hughes will have to deal with Ibrahima Konate’s contract - which expires in 2026. If no agreement can be found with the Frenchman then he will be leaving the club on a free transfer.

Twelve months later and it will be the turn of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez - both out of contract in 2027.

Factor in a centre-back shortage - owing to Giovanni Leoni’s season-ending ACL injury - and you can see why the Premier League champions’ requirements at centre-back are so pressing.

Liverpool will go back in for Guehi

Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol doesn’t believe that Hughes and head coach Arne Slot will seek to rectify the central defensive situation in January however.

But he does reckon that a deal for Marc Guehi could come back to life with the Crystal Palace captain’s contract also expiring in summer.

Liverpool missed out on signing Guehi on transfer deadline day having agreed a £35m fee with Palace. But with the FA Cup holders failing to land a replacement, Palace opted out of a deal for Guehi - leaving Liverpool short.

January Guehi deal is difficult

The problem for the Reds is they’ve effectively lost their free run at the England international - who agreed terms at Anfield before the deal fell apart.

January will bring big European suitors to the table - and Liverpool will have to work hard to convince the 25-year-old to join once again.

"Liverpool will definitely sign another centre-back in 2026. I'm not sure if it will be in January,” Solhekol said.

“There's talk about whether there is a gentleman's agreement with Marc Guehi. They missed out on him at the eleventh hour.

"Will they go back in for him? I think they probably will. The problem they have is from the first of January, he can start talking to foreign clubs.

"We know Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona are all interested in him. Manchester City could be looking for a new centre-back.

"He will have a lot of options and I find it very difficult to think Crystal Palace will let him leave in January."

Bastoni and Schlotterbeck also linked

Arne Slot has opted to use all three senior centre-back options in recent weeks - with Gomez filling in at right-back.

The club need to recruit quantity and quality in the position with Nico Schlotterbeck and Alessandro Bastoni among the players linked.

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