Liverpool are advancing in talks with Crystal Palace over Marc Guéhi and are considering a move for the Parma centre-half Giovanni Leoni as they attempt to increase Arne Slot’s defensive options.
Guéhi has been Liverpool’s main defensive target all summer and the club were encouraged to make an approach by an admission from the Palace chair, Steve Parish, that it would be better to sell the England international than lose him on a free next summer.
Palace rejected bids of up to £70m from Newcastle for the 25-year-old defender last summer and Liverpool refused to consider the initial asking price at the start of this transfer window. However, with Palace taking a financial hit after losing their Europa League place and Guéhi in the final year of his contract, the Premier League champions hope to secure a deal for £35m. Negotiations are understood to have progressed smoothly on Tuesday.
Liverpool are also interested in the 18-year-old Leoni, who impressed in the second half of last season for Parma and is regarded as one of the best defensive prospects in Europe. The club would like to add him and Guéhi to their squad.
Leoni is also wanted by Inter. Their coach, Cristian Chivu, was in charge at Parma last season and could prove an influential factor in the player’s decision, although Liverpool have greater financial resources. Liverpool are ready to step up their interest in the 6ft 5in defender if they receive encouragement that he is open to leaving Italy. The Merseyside club have not made an approach to Parma.
Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté are the only established central defenders available to Slot for the Premier League opener against Bournemouth on Friday. Liverpool have sold Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen and Joe Gomez missed the final games of pre-season with a minor achilles injury. Slot admitted after the Community Shield penalty shootout defeat against Palace that Liverpool’s defending in pre-season had been a cause for concern.
Manchester United are exploring a move for Carlos Baleba, but are expected to have to pay a transfer record for an African player if they can persuade Brighton to sell the Cameroon midfielder. The 21-year-old has three years on his contract, which Brighton have an option to extend by 12 months.
Sources close to Baleba have indicated he is keen to join United if an agreement can be reached. Brighton are adamant he is not for sale, and it would require an offer well above the £72m Arsenal paid Lille for the Ivory Coast forward Nicolas Pépé in 2019 to tempt them into changing their stance. It may take more than £100m to sign a player rated as one of the best emerging talents in world football.
Any United bid for Baleba is understood to be dependent on players being moved on, with Chelsea still in talks over a deal for Alejandro Garnacho and Milan interested in Rasmus Højlund. They have been trying to offload two others attackers, Jadon Sancho and Antony, who are on big wages. United have spent more than £200m this summer on the forwards Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, another Cameroon international.
Baleba, who joined Brighton in 2023 from Lille for £23m, told the Guardian in March that he was happy at Brighton but said: “I want to be a big midfielder, to be a legend, across the world.”
Brighton’s chief executive, Paul Barber, said last week at a fans’ forum that United had yet to be in touch, but acknowledged Baleba could leave. “Carlos is a fantastic talent,” he said. “We hope he’ll be here for years to come – but it’s subject to the dynamics of the football world, which isn’t always predictable.”
West Ham’s opening offer of £30m for Mateus Fernandes has been rejected by Southampton. Fernandes is their top target in midfield, but the clubs are a long way apart on his valuation and a compromise is not close.
Southampton, who signed Fernandes for £15m from Sporting last year, have quoted £50m for the 21-year-old. West Ham are understood to have offered an initial £28m plus £2m in add-ons. They believe Southampton, one of the favourites for promotion from the Championship, want too much for a player with one season of Premier League football behind him.
West Ham are prepared to explore alternative targets. They like Jacob Ramsey, but face a battle to convince the Aston Villa midfielder to join them. Newcastle have been linked with Ramsey. West Ham are also tracking Lille’s Ngal’ayel Mukau.
Graham Potter wants more energy, dynamism and creativity in midfield. He regards Fernandes as a No 8 and is also keen to bring in a No 6, but West Ham will need sales if they are to sign more than one midfielder. They are struggling to find buyers for Edson Álvarez, Guido Rodríguez and Tomas Soucek. Álvarez is available for £20m, but is on big wages.
