Liverpool is poised to beat Newcastle in the race for Crystal Palace’s central defender, Marc Guehi.
The Reds and the Magpies will face off on Sunday in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, but they’re also vying for the signature of England’s 24-year-old Guehi. It’s reported that Anfield is the preferred destination for the Palace star.
Mirror Football has reported that Newcastle are aware of this, and a deal to bring Guehi to Anfield is expected to be finalized in the summer. The main competition now appears to be Chelsea, where Guehi began his career.
However, there could be last-minute interest from Manchester City, Arsenal, and Tottenham. All four clubs have been keeping tabs on Guehi following his standout season at Palace and his progress with England on the international stage.
Liverpool, though, are favorites for cup success on Sunday and are also leading the race for Guehi, whose contract runs out in June 2026. The 24-year-old could step into the shoes of Virgil van Dijk, who admitted earlier this week that he’s uncertain about where he’ll be playing next season.
Van Dijk, along with team-mates Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mo Salah, is entering the final three months of his contract at Anfield. Van Dijk remains tight-lipped about his future at Liverpool, insisting that he’s clueless about what lies ahead.
Speaking after the Reds’ Champions League departure, Van Dijk said, “I have no idea. I still have no idea at the moment. Genuinely. I have no idea at the moment,” emphasizing that nothing is on hold and his focus is solely on the remaining ten games.
“If there is news, you guys will know it. I don’t even know myself. Everyone knows there are some conversations behind the scenes but that is about it. At the moment, I don’t even know what will happen next year. If anyone says they do know, they are lying to your face.”
(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Guehi’s rise to prominence has not gone unnoticed, with his solid performances for Crystal Palace earning him a spot in Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia. The young defender, who shone at last year’s European Championship, could have had a different path this season if a move to Newcastle United had materialized.
Newcastle’s manager Eddie Howe revealed their unsuccessful bid to sign Guehi on the Up Front podcast.
“He wasn’t the only target,” Howe clarified. “I think a lot goes on into a summer. You never just have one target. That wouldn’t be right. We went into the summer with several targets. We tried to sign two or three other players. We didn’t get them. We ended up, ultimately, towards the end of the window, with one target, and we didn’t get him, so that was it.”
