Tough decision points to MAJOR exit at Liverpool

One player's tough decision points to a major exit at Liverpool. This isn't how the Reds wanted things to go.

We've already seen two members of Liverpool's title-winning squad leave this summer. Trent Alexander-Arnold joined Real Madrid, while Caoimhin Kelleher signed for Brentford.

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Two homegrown talents, then, and a third might be off soon, too. Jarell Quansah is heavily linked with Bayer Leverkusen and a deal should go through after England's Under 21 team is done with their European championship.

Really, the Quansah deal is a fantastic one that could actually see him rejoin the Reds down the line. It does, however, create questions at centre-back.

Liverpool need to replace Quansah in the squad and preferably with a homegrown player. The club is actually going to break Premier League rules with their current crop of stars.

That has the Reds reportedly looking at Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi. A move for him, though, brings about another interesting question.

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Marc Guehi in, Ibrahima Konate out?

The Independent are one of those claiming Liverpool want to sign Guehi. They also claim that he's hoping to move to Anfield, picking them over Arsenal as he sees more game time with the Reds.

That, though, is notable. Replacing Quansah wouldn't bring about any extra game time - he started just once in the Premier League by the time Liverpool had won the title.

Instead, Guehi viewing Liverpool as an opportunity for game time points to Ibrahima Konate leaving the club. He's the one who would really be replaced.

Konate's contract expires in a year and it appears he isn't going to sign a new one. Not without a gigantic pay rise, anyway, in what feels like an enormous risk from the Frenchman.

But Liverpool can't force him to renew on their terms. The power is in Konate's hands and if he doesn't renew, the club will almost certainly try to sell this summer.

That would then make Guehi a first-choice signing at the back. He'd arrive with a clear space in the team and with a guarantee of game time.

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And if he's already made the decision that Liverpool is the place to be for minutes, it sounds like he might have been given that guarantee. A guarantee that wouldn't come if it were simply Quansah he was replacing.