Slot ‘determined’ to seal record Liverpool deal for 19-cap star as heir to one of Klopp’s greatest-ever signings

Liverpool manager Arne Slot is ready to go all out for the signing of Marc Guehi, with Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes both ‘convincing’ the Dutchman to move for the Crystal Palace defender and with three other possible Virgil van Dijk heirs also coming to light.

Reds captain Van Dijk moved to Anfield in a £75m move from Southampton in January 2018 and has been synonymous with the success enjoyed by Liverpool in that time, collecting seven major honours, including the Champions League – just 18 months after his arrival – and the Premier League title the year after.

But with his contract due to expire at the end of the current season and with Van Dijk now at the ripe old age of 33, there remain question marks over whether the end of the line will soon be approaching for the hugely influential Netherlands defender.

And while Van Dijk very much remains at the top of his game, Liverpool are wisely considering long-term heirs for a player widely considered one of Jurgen Klopp’s greatest-ever signings.

Now according to Fichajes, Liverpool are ‘determined’ to go all out for the signing of Guehi in 2025, with Slot having been convinced that the 19-times capped England defender has all the attributes needed to become the Reds skipper’s long-term heir.

They state that Slot initially was sceptical over whether Guehi had the required qualities to succeed Van Dijk at Anfield. However, after seeing his performances broken down and some high-level analytics provided by sporting director Hughes into his attributes, it’s claimed Slot has now ‘det that Guehi is ‘the one’.

Signing the Palace star, though, will not come cheap, with the Eagles rejecting a package worth up to £75m (€90m, $100.6m) for Guehi from Newcastle over the summer. As a result, any swoop for the 24-year-old defender is likely to set the Reds back a club-record deal, which currently stands at the £85m (€102m, $113.4m) package paid to Benfica for Darwin Nunez.

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Liverpool confirmed admirers of Guehi – but trio also make shortlist

TEAMtalk sources have confirmed that Liverpool’s admiration for Guehi is indeed accurate and that a 2025 swoop on the Eagles for his signing is a genuine possibility.

We also understand that, with money in their pocket, a January raid on Selhurst Park cannot be entirely ruled out either, though the Eagles will fight tooth and nail to resist any offers for the defender particularly during the winter window.

Nonetheless, our understanding is that Guehi is also ready to test himself at a higher level and would find a move to Anfield difficult to resist if a concrete offer came in from the Reds, who have made an electric start to their new era under Slot with six wins from seven games.

Guehi, though, is also very happy at Selhurst Park and did not want to rock the boat over the summer in forcing a move when Newcastle came calling.

Showing his respect for the club, he kept himself to himself behind the scenes and let the situation play out on his own accord and without trying to force the issue.

An approach from Liverpool, however, would give the player an entirely different headache.

Irrespective of whether a move for Guehi comes off, it is our understanding that Liverpool have also drawn up a list of alternatives in case a move for Guehi does not come off, with three other defenders also on their radar.

According to our transfer correspondent Rudy Galetti, Juventus defender Gleison Bremer, Sporting Lisbon’s Goncalo Inacio and Loic Bade of Sevilla are also under consideration.

But with the experience of the Premier League seen as a key factor, it is Guehi who appears right at the top of their wanted list now.

Little-used star may be sold to Bayern / Zubimendi ‘kicking himself’ over snub

Elsewhere today, it’s been claimed that Martin Zubimendi will now be kicking himself over his decision to snub a summer switch to Anfield, given the contrasting fortunes of the Reds and the Spain star’s current side, Real Sociedad.

And with Slot having seemingly moved on, the focus now at Anfield appears to be on the signing of Quinten Timber from Feyenoord instead, suggesting the Euro 2024 winner may now have missed his chance.

Meanwhile, Caiomhin Kelleher has been surprisingly tipped to sign for Bayern Munich next summer as the long-term heir for legendary figure Manuel Neuer, who is now 37.

That might not be the only transaction between the two clubs, either, with the Reds seemingly granted the green light to pursue the free-transfer signing of Joshua Kimmich after another of his leading suitors pulled out of the running.

How does Guehi compare to Van Dijk at the same age?

By Samuel Bannister

Guehi, who turned 24 in July, has already established himself in the Premier League at a relatively young age.

For context, Van Dijk turned 24 in July 2015, which was a couple of months before he arrived in the Premier League by joining Southampton from Celtic.

By the end of last season, Guehi had 98 top-flight appearances to his name already. At the same stage of his career, Van Dijk had played 62 times in the Eredivisie and 71 in the Scottish Premiership, but neither league ranks as highly as the Premier League.

It’s fair to say Van Dijk took the move in his stride, establishing himself at Southampton before earning his move to Liverpool in January 2018, at the age of 26.

Guehi also has more international prominence under his belt than Van Dijk did at the same age. Before his 24th birthday, Guehi earned his first 16 England caps, some of which came as a starter on his nation’s journey to the Euro 2024 final.

In contrast, Van Dijk – despite having been called up by the Netherlands a couple of times to fill squad places – was still awaiting his international debut when he turned 24, although it wouldn’t be too far away for him.

Given how Van Dijk has become a long-serving leader for Liverpool, it’s not inconceivable that Guehi could enjoy long-term success if he were to move to Anfield and maintain his current rate of progress.

He has a good blend of experience and potential that could make him a valuable addition to a Liverpool backline awaiting its evolution.