Marc Guehi was denied a deadline-day move to Liverpool, for whom he would currently “be playing at left-back” had the Reds offered just ￡5m more to Crystal Palace for his services.

Palace are currently just one point behind Liverpool in the Premier League as a dramatic slump from the reigning champions has seen Arne Slot’s side lose five of their last six top flight games to all but put paid to their chances of retaining their title.

They’ve already conceded 17 goals this term having let in just 41 across the whole of last season as they count the cost of failing to secure Guehi’s signing.

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Former Everton, Sunderland and Scotland midfielder Don Hutchison believes Guehi would currently be playing at left-back over summer signing Milos Kerkez, who’s really struggled, and veteran Andy Robertson, had he made the move to Anfield in the summer.

And Hutchinson reckons Liverpool will be regretting not paying Palace a tiny bit more to land the 25-year-old, and wonders if they may now have missed their chance.

He told sportscasting.com: “They’ve blown their chances of landing him. One million percent. I mean, I’d love to be a fly on the wall at Liverpool when they didn’t get the Guehi deal done. Let’s just say Crystal Palace wanted ￡45 million. Liverpool should have given them ￡50m, because they’re going to have Marc Guehi for six years. They should have just paid the money.

“When I compare Liverpool to Arsenal, I see two proper men and two proper guys that won’t be bullied in Calafiori and Timber, alongside Saliba and Gabriel. So you’ve got four centre backs across there. If Mark Guehi was at Liverpool now he’d be playing at left-back and you’d be Konate, Van Dijk, Bradley and Guehi, and you’d be thinking crikey, that’s pretty versatile.

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“Liverpool should have just paid Palace whatever they wanted. I think it was a poor move. They were so focused on signing Isak. I understand that, because you can’t turn it down, but Guehi had to be the other priority.

“This January has to be the marker with Guehi if they want to finish in the top four. They need to try and pull out all the stops to land him in January because by the summer time, I think he’ll have plenty of options to choose from, and they could be more attractive to him and his family.”

Ibrahima Konate has been roundly criticised for his performances this season and with his contract expiring in the summer he’s been linked with a move in January as Real Madrid circle.

But Hutchinson would keep hold of the France international until the end of the season as “a good body to have around”.

He added: “I’d keep Konate from now to the end of season because he’s a good body to have around just in case Virgil got injured, or if Guehi signed and took a knock.

“If Guehi went to left-back you would still need Konate.?I’d keep him around until the summer, and if he wants to move on a free transfer, then Liverpool will have one or two irons in the fire to try and replace him.”