Liverpool set to exploit ‘gentleman’s agreement’ in Marc Guehi pursuit

Liverpool refuse to abandon their pursuit of top defensive target Marc Guehi, with the Crystal Palace centre-back now entering the final six months of his contract.

The reigning Premier League champions are keen to exploit a “gentleman’s agreement” to push through a deal for the exciting centre-back.

The Reds failed to complete a deal for the England international in the summer transfer window, with Palace pulling the plug late in the window due to the Eagles’ inability to find a suitable replacement for the star defender.

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The 25-year-old is allowed to speak to other clubs in January, as he enters the final months of his contract. However, may face an uphill, though there are reports of a “gentleman’s agreement” between Liverpool and the player.

Now, according to Sky Sports, the Reds have a gentleman’s agreement with the most sought-after defender, as Guehi is drawing plenty of interest from around Europe.

Guehi will be free to negotiate with overseas clubs in the coming days and can sign a pre-contract agreement from January 1, 2026, as he enters the final six months of his Palace contract.

Liverpool’s only realistic path to landing Guehi in January is to strike a fee with Crystal Palace now—otherwise, they risk an anxious six-month wait to snap him up on a free transfer in the summer.

Arne Slot’s side plan to bolster their backline, with a central defender their top priority for 2026, as Ibrahima Konate is set to leave the club at the end of his contract in the summer.

Liver risk the chance to have first-hand option, with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid interested in doing a deal, and Barcelona could yet be prompted into action. The Catalan club want a new defender after Andreas Christensen’s injury.

However, Los Blancos are believed to have dropped out of the race to sign the defender and relocate him to the Santiago Bernabeu next year.

Back in September, Chelsea were set to rival Liverpool for the Crystal Palace star, Guehi, and the Club World Cup champions were set to offer stiff competition for the Englishman.

Liverpool is the frontrunner as the likely destination for Guehi, but nothing has been concluded yet, as tempting suitors like Bayern and Barcelona continue to monitor the situation.

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