Not just Guehi - Man City ready to pinch another centre-back from Liverpool

Liverpool came agonisingly close to recruiting Marc Guehi on transfer deadline day.

The Premier League champions agreed to pay £35m to secure the signing of the Crystal Palace captain - whose contract is due to expire in summer 2026.

But the Eagles backed out of the deal at the 11th hour - and the Reds have been counting the cost of that transfer failure ever since.

While Liverpool remain fixed in their idea of adding the 25-year-old on a free transfer in the summer they will have to hope he does not choose Manchester City in the meantime.

Man City want Guehi AND Ordonez

Pep Guardiola is dealing with a centre-back shortage at the Etihad and is reportedly ready to offer the FA Cup holders a decent transfer fee to bring Guehi on board in January.

Moreover the Cityzens will break the bank to land the England international on a mammoth salary and a sizeable signing-on fee too.

Therefore Liverpool run the risk of losing a significant centre-back target to City - and if they are not careful it could happen TWICE in one window.

That’s because BOLAVIP in South America is reporting that City are keen on signing Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez too.

City could pinch another LFC target

Liverpool were said to be close to sealing a deal for the Ecuador international earlier in the transfer window - with the 21-year-old agreeing a £57k per week salary.

He is under contract at Brugge until 2029 and it would reportedly require a £35m fee for the Belgian giants to sell. But now according to the latest report Ordonez could be on his way to the blue half of Manchester instead of Liverpool as planned.

“Manchester City have expressed interest in signing Joel Ordóñez during the 2026 transfer window,” the report reads.

“The Ecuadorian player has emerged as an option to bolster the team's defense. However, negotiations to bring him from Belgium are still a long way off.

“Ordóñez has a long-term contract with Club Brugge, but this January looks set to be the key month for him to leave and make the big leap to different European clubs.

“Not only are Liverpool and Manchester City interested, but Inter Milan and Chelsea have also inquired about him.”

Ecuadorian sources have been adamant about Ordonez’s chances of joining Liverpool in this window but talk has certainly cooled over the last few days.

If Richard Hughes is unable to come to an arrangement with Brugge soon then City may well do to Liverpool what they did with Nico Gonzalez, Omar Marmoush, Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo - other Reds' targets who ended up at the Etihad.

🔴 Shop the LFC 2025/26 adidas home range

👉🏻 A new centre-back is COMING to Liverpool

👉🏻 Liverpool finally replace Trent Alexander-Arnold with brilliant playmaker

👉🏻 Centre-back confirms he's ready to join Liverpool