Liverpool likely to finalise move for £40m “monster” soon

After winning the Premier League title, Liverpool could have rested on their laurels. They have done the complete opposite.

Having partied gleefully in Ibiza and Dubai, the Reds have sprung into life in the transfer window, securing an outstanding set of signings already.

While the loss of Trent Alexander-Arnold was a bitter pill to swallow, it’s likely they’ll forget all about the boyhood Red when Jeremie Frimpong takes to the field as a Liverpool player for the first time.

On the opposite side of defence, Milos Kerkez has arrived from Bournemouth, aiming to evoke memories of a young Andy Robertson.

The most special of moves, however, was Florian Wirtz. Wow, what a deal this was. Signed for a Premier League record £116m, he arrives from Bayer Leverkusen regarded as one of the best 10s in the game.

It’s a huge statement to the rest of the division, but the Anfield outfit are not done yet.

Liverpool close in on another new signing

If Reds supporters would pick one player to sign and then close the window, it would be Alexander Isak.

If Darwin Nunez leaves for Napoli, as widely expected, then FSG and Richard Hughes still have money to spend. Yet, despite their interest in the Newcastle forward, it’s unlikely anyone in European football will be able to get close to a reported £200m price tag slapped on his head.

Liverpool do still need to sign a striker but their latest focus has seen them make attempts to revamp the centre of the defence with Ibrahima Konate’s future uncertain, having attracted the interest of Real Madrid.

As a result, Liverpool have been looking at adding Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi to their ranks with reports indicating a few days ago that personal terms were on the verge of being agreed.

This weekend, the Mirror has stated that a move is now even closer to completion. They suggest that the Reds are ‘in prime position’ to complete a move and that ‘talks between all parties will take place in the next 24 hours’.

Palace value the centre-half at £70m but with a year left on his deal, they acknowledge that they will have to accept a lower fee, potentially something in the region of £40m. Chelsea hold a 20% sell-on clause so the Eagles are understandably trying to obtain the highest fee they can.

How Guehi can replicate Liverpool’s transfer window blinders

Recruiting players from the Premier League is a smart strategy. Knowing the division and the country, they need little time to get up to speed and often hit the ground running quickly.

It’s a strategy Manchester United often deployed under Sir Alex Ferguson, with two of the most notable names being Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney who arrived from Leeds United and Everton, respectively.

It’s a tactic deployed by Mikel Arteta at Arsenal in recent years too. Declan Rice was signed for £105m from West Ham, while goalkeeper David Raya, the 2024/25 Golden Glove winner, came in from Brentford.

They settled quickly and the adjustment time was very minimal. Liverpool have also reaped the rewards of this.

Think of the aforementioned Robertson, plucked from Hull City, Gini Wijnaldum from Newcastle United, Diogo Jota from Wolves and so on. All three of those players were particularly consistent, heralded as unsung heroes.

There was also Sadio Mane, one of the greatest modern forwards we’ve seen at Anfield since the turn of the millennium.

In 2016, Liverpool purged Southampton to bring Mane to Merseyside in a deal worth £34m, a move that made him the most expensive African player of all time.

In the 2015/16 season, the Senegalese winger was particularly eye-catching, scoring 15 goals in all competitions, also registering seven assists. Three of those goals included a famous hat-trick against Manchester City.

After moving to the Reds, Mane instantly hit the ground running, netting 13 Premier League goals in 27 outings during his debut campaign. The rest was history.

The Senegal international was simply electrifying in Liverpool colours, moving to Bayern Munich in 2022, having scored 120 times in 269 outings.

While Guehi, a centre-half by trade, is not going to arrive at Liverpool and start scoring by the bucketload, similarly to Mane, he is likely to become an instant fan favourite.

He knows the division and his experience of English football so far stands him in good stead to be a rip-roaring success from the get-go.

A year ago, the defender was in top form at the European Championships and after being described as “England’s best centre-back” by some, it was perhaps surprising his move hadn’t occurred earlier.

Well, Liverpool are here now, and they’re ready to sign one of the best players outside of the league’s typical top six, just as they did with Mane.

He’s caught the eye immensely, notably with his ability to read the play. In the 2024/25 Premier League, the 24-year-old ranked inside the top 20% of positionally similar players for blocks per 90 minutes (1.62) and the best 3% for passes blocked per 90 (0.94).

Guehi also made 4.30 ball recoveries per 90, enough to rank him in the top 21% of centre-backs in England’s best league.

Let’s put those numbers into context. Skipper Virgil van Dijk only made 0.96 blocks and blocked 0.11 passes per 90 minutes. He also only made 3.77 ball recoveries. Now, of course, Palace do more defending than Liverpool, but it proves that Guehi is set up to be a big hit if he moves away from Selhurst Park.

The Reds have proven success of buying from the Premier League and could repeat that trick here. In the words of Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, he’s a “monster in defence” and would be a superb signing.

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