Marc Guehi transfer news: Crystal Palace believe only Liverpool may attempt to sign England centre-back in January window | Football News

Crystal Palace believe only Liverpool may attempt to buy Marc Guehi in January, Sky Sports News understands.

The feeling around Selhurst Park is that the other major European sides interested in Guehi are only willing to sign him as a free agent next summer.

Liverpool remain interested in Guehi after a late £35m deal to buy him collapsed on Deadline Day in the summer.

Whether their preference is to try and buy him in January or land him as a free transfer next summer remains to be seen, but there is competition from some big clubs in Europe, especially Bayern Munich.

Real Madrid and Barcelona are also thought to be keen and Guehi is free to speak to foreign clubs from January 1.

Liverpool go into the January window having lost summer signing and centre-back Giovanni Leoni to long-term injury while there is uncertainty around the future of Ibrahima Konate, with his contract set to expire in the summer.

Konate reportedly said while on France duty that he hopes his decision will be made very soon “so I can announce it”.

Palace head coach Oliver Glasner revealed in October that Guehi had informed the club that he did not want to sign a new contract and would leave the club next year.

The England international’s current Palace deal expires on June 30, when he can leave the Eagles on a free transfer.

Guehi is also able to sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club when the January transfer window opens on New Year’s Day 2026.

Palace chairman Steve Parish made the decision to pull the plug on Guehi’s deal to Liverpool on Deadline Day three hours before the window closed because the club could not sign a replacement.

Guehi is on track to return from injury and face Wolves on Saturday, Sky Sports News understands, after pulling out of the England squad due to a foot issue.

The defender suffered the injury in the closing stages of Palace’s victory over AZ Alkmaar in the Conference League on November 6 and then missed the goalless draw with Brighton.

Why do Liverpool need Guehi?

Sky Sports’ David Richardson:

Liverpool spent a record £446m last summer but their failure to acquire Guehi has come at a significant cost to their title defence.

Only Burnley, West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Wolves have conceded more xG than Liverpool, who have been run ragged at the back, with new signing Milos Kerkez struggling to settle at left-back and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s permanent successor on the other side yet to be found.

Konate – Virgil van Dijk’s centre-back partner – has been targeted by the opposition and the uncertainty around his future at the club, with his contract set to expire next summer, won’t have helped either.

Summer signing Leoni suffered an ACL injury on debut although it would have been a tall order for the 18-year-old centre-back to have solved Liverpool’s issues himself while the much more senior Joe Gomez is out of favour.

It’s meant Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch and even Andy Robertson, in pre-season, have filled in at the back as Liverpool have been made to rue missing out on the assured presence Guehi would have brought.

Could Crystal Palace lose other key players?

Other than the possible departure of Guehi, Palace are not expecting any other key players to depart in January – and they will look to replace Guehi whenever he leaves the club.

Palace did have several centre-back targets to replace Guehi in the summer and will look to add depth to the position if Guehi goes, despite being impressed with summer addition from Toulouse Jaydee Canvot.

Palace are aware of growing interest from other clubs in Colombia right-back Daniel Munoz, France striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and England midfielder Adam Wharton.

Wharton is being tracked by a number of top clubs including Manchester United.