Oliver Glasner makes fresh Marc Guehi admission as Liverpool transfer saga takes new twist

Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Chelsea and Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on August 17, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) | Getty Images

placeholder image — Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Chelsea and Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on August 17, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Liverpool are keen to sign Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi before the summer transfer window shuts.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner says that finding a replacement for Marc Guehi will be ‘almost impossible’ amid Liverpool’s interest.

The centre-back is on the Reds’ radar ahead of the transfer window closing on Monday. Guehi is in the final year of his Palace contract and chairman Steve Parish has suggested that they would reluctantly sanction a sale.

Guehi, who is the Eagles’ captain, has started all five games so far this season. He skippered the club to Community Shield success over Liverpool via a penalty shootout at Wembley, while Palace have qualified for the Europa Conference League after edging past Norwegian side Fredrikstad.

The South London side have been linked with potential replacements for Guehi, including Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande. But Glasner, speaking ahead of his side’s Premier League fixture against Aston Villa on Sunday, says that it will be extremely difficult to get someone over-ready to fill the void of England international Guehi.

What’s been said

The Palace boss said: “From my side, he has to [still be a Crystal Palace player] because it's not possible at the moment to find a Marc Guehi replacement who can play straight in the Premier League, being a starter for Crystal Palace, being consistent. When we see our foundation of success in the last couple of months and going into the group stage, it's our defence. We have conceded just one goal in the Premier League this is our foundation and Marc is a crucial part. Getting the right replacement in now is almost impossible.

Guehi is in the last 12 months of his Selhurst Park deal and Liverpool are willing to pay a reported fee of around £35 million. The England international is also said to be keen on a move to Anfield.

But despite Guehi’s contractual situation, he has not asked to leave the club, according to Glasner. “He shows in every game he is focused and, again, if Marc had said at one moment: ‘I want to leave Crystal Palace’ the deal would have happened already weeks ago,” added Glasner.

“Because he his situation, and nobody is to blame for it, if a player has one year left on his contract and the player said: ‘I definitely want to leave’ a deal would happen at every single club. So Marc is fully committed to the team.”

Liverpool have already signed Giovanni Leoni from Parma for an initial £26 million. However, he is only aged 18 and lacks Premier League experience.

While Virgil van Dijk is the Reds’ undisputed first choice in central defence, Ibrahima Konate has started the campaign out of form. Konate’s contract runs out at the end of the season and there has been speculation that he could join Real Madrid on a free transfer.

Joe Gomez, meanwhile, has had injury problems in the past few years and had a spell absent in pre-season with an Achilles problem.