According to reports, Liverpool have been dealt a significant ‘blow’ as they are likely to miss out on Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi.

The England international has emerged as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League as he has shone for club and country in recent seasons.

In recent transfer windows, Guehi has attracted interest from several clubs and he looked destined for a move to Liverpoolin the summer.

The Premier League holders made Guehione of their top summer targets, but they took too much time to formalise a deal with Crystal Palace as a transfer fell through on deadline day.

The Reds reportedly reached an agreement with Crystal Palace worth around ￡35m on deadline day, though Oliver Glasner’s side decided to pull the plug at the eleventh hour as they failed to land a suitable replacement.

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It was widely reported that Palace would have sold Guehi under the right circumstances, as he is one of the most valuable footballers due to become a free agent in 2026.

Palace are keen to avoid letting Guehi leave on a free transfer, so it’s possible that he leaves the Premier League club for a cut-price fee in January.

There have been conflicting reports on whether Liverpool will make a new bid for Guehi in January, though they remain interested and are short on options without their injured summer signing, Giovanni Leoni. This issue leaves Arne Slot with Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez as his only fit centre-backs.

Guehi has also been linked with several elite European clubs, including Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, with a view to a potential free transfer in 2026.

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Now, a new report from The i Paperclaims Liverpool have been ‘dealt a Guehi blow’ as Palace are ‘planning for a transfer abroad’ and are ‘set to cash in’ this January.

Palace reportedly intend to lay the groundwork for Guehi’s exit by ‘moving for replacements sooner, ensuring their impressive start to the season is not wasted’.

Liverpool, meanwhile, are ‘no longer frontrunners’ as ‘Spanish rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid have tempted Guehi to consider a move abroad’.

It is also noted that ‘Palace will not sell on the cheap in January’, though Guehi has given ‘no such indication’ of being willing to stay and ‘he still intends to seek pastures new at the first opportunity’.

Regarding Liverpool’s plans for January, the report claims:

‘Liverpool will almost certainly move for a new centre-back in January to provide cover for skipper Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.

‘The Reds see Borussia Dortmund centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck as a potential long-term replacement for Van Dijk. However, they will equally have to fend off competition from Manchester City, Bayern and Real Madrid for the Germany international, who has a contract until 2027.’