Liverpool are reportedly closing on a deal for Marc Guéhi as part of a drive for defensive reinforcements this summer which could also include the exciting young centre back Giovanni Leoni.
The Reds have embarked upon a transfer splurge in positions all over the pitch, bringing in a new striker, attacking midfielder, a pair of fullbacks and three goalkeepers. However, the centre back slot has been conspicuously neglected.
Jarrel Quansah’s move to Bayer Leverkusen removed what little cover Arne Slot had for this position. Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté form a formidable first-choice pairing, but the injury-prone Joe Gomez and scarcely spotted Rhys Williams are the only senior alternatives in Liverpool’s squad.
Slot has downplayed concerns over this area while Van Dijk insists that more forward-thinking signings are still required, but it appears that the recruitment team at the Premier League champions have not entirely overlooked this crucial area of the pitch.
Negotiations for long-term target Guéhi have been ramped up since Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish admitted that his star centre back would have to be offloaded this summer if he continued to refuse to sign a new contract. The Times were the first to report that the two clubs are discussing a deal worth an initial £30 million ($40.5 million) with a further £5million in add-ons.
This is even lower than the modest £40 million price tag Palace had supposedly set earlier in the summer. If Guéhi didn’t have less than a year remaining on his contract, an England international in his prime would likely have cost twice as much. Palace rejected a £65 million offer from Newcastle United last summer and rebuffed Tottenham Hotspur’s January approach of £70 million.
Guéhi has agreed personal terms with Liverpool ahead of a finalisation of his transfer fee, per Fabrizio Romano.
Parma are thought to be demanding a similar sum for Leoni, with talk of between £30 million and £35 million on the table. These discussions are nowhere near as advanced as the deal for Guéhi but Liverpool clearly value the 18-year-old Italian.
The Times claim that Slot’s side rate Leoni as “the best of the young centre backs in Europe.” The towering Roman has played just 17 Serie A matches in his embryonic career, all of which came last season as Parma successfully battled their way out of the relegation zone. As many as 12 Liverpool players racked up more top-flight minutes last season alone than Leoni has amassed during his entire career.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Liverpool ‘Agree’ Marc Guehi Contract, Bargain Transfer Fee ‘Discussed’.
