Liverpool have suffered a major transfer setback in their pursuit of Marc Guehi, after Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish confirmed the club’s firm stance on the defender’s future.
The Reds came close to sealing a £35 million move for the England international on deadline day this summer, but Palace ultimately blocked the deal after failing to secure a replacement.
Now, Parish has explained the club’s decision — and hinted that Palace would rather lose Guehi for free when his contract expires in 2026 than sell him in the January transfer window.
“We needed to keep Marc because the difference between us having a stellar season and a relegation-threatened one is us winning five games or not,” Parish told Men in Blazers.
“The margins in the Premier League are very tight. You have to remember that Michael [Olise] has gone, Ebbs [Eberechi Eze] has gone, Wilfred [Zaha] went — there’s a limit to how much you can keep doing that before you break down the fabric of the team.”
Guehi, who had been keen to move to Anfield, has continued to perform at a high level for Palace despite his disappointment. His contract runs until the summer of 2026, and clubs including Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and Barcelona have also expressed interest.
Bayern and the two Spanish giants will have an advantage in January, when they can negotiate a pre-contract agreement for a free transfer in July. However, Parish’s comments suggest Palace are not interested in cashing in midway through the season.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are desperate for defensive reinforcements after summer signing Giovanni Leoni suffered an ACL injury. With the team losing six of their last seven matches in all competitions, manager Arne Slot may push for another attempt to sign Guehi in January.
Still, despite Liverpool’s groundwork and Guehi’s admiration for the club, they could yet miss out if a rival makes a decisive move.
“It was a very marginal call,” Parish admitted. “Liverpool made the offer. It’s a massive club and Marc was obviously interested in going. But he was fine about staying if that was the decision we made.
“It means the ball is completely in his court now — he has the choice of wherever he wants to go. It was a very difficult one, but I think it was the right one.”