Arne Slot gives eight-word response to Liverpool signing Guehi in January, with dream move ALIVE

Harry Watkinson 12 Sep 2025 10:34 AM

Liverpool manager Arne Slot alongside Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi

Liverpool dramatically missed out on the signing of Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi in the late stages of the summer window, and Arne Slot has given an eight-word response to claims that they could try again in January.

The Reds had agreed a £35million transfer fee with Palace to sign their captain, and the deal also included a 10 percent sell-on clause for the Eagles.

Guehi, 25, had even travelled to complete a medical in the final hours of the window. However, Palace ultimately pulled out of the deal at the 11th hour, as they had failed to sign a direct replacement. The defender remained professional throughout the saga, but he was very keen for the Anfield switch to go through.

Speaking in a press conference this morning (September 12), Slot expressed his regret at missing out on the signing of Guehi, but refused to rule out a new move for the defender in the future. His Palace contract expires next summer, so he could be snapped up on a free transfer at the end of this season.

“I think it would be ridiculous if I was to deny that we were close to signing him. These things happen in football and it has happened to our players in the past that they thought they were so close to signing somewhere else and then at the last moment things changed, this can happen,” Slot said.

“For me, we would have liked to have signed him of course because we were in for him and if we feel we can strengthen the team with a chance in the market then we will not hesitate to do so and that is what we tried to do.

“We played Arsenal and [Ibrahima] Konate and [Virgil] van Dijk played an outstanding game and Joe Gomez came in 20 minutes before the end and did good as well.

“With us signing Giovanni Leoni who had his first international call up, it’s not like all of a sudden we don’t have options in that position anymore…”

Arne Slot hints at new Liverpool move for Marc Guehi

While Slot emphasises that he is content with the centre-back options at his disposal, his overarching sentiment is that he feels Guehi would have significantly strengthened his Liverpool squad.

“It is a pity [missing out on Guehi], not only for us but for the player I think. He is in a good place playing at Crystal Palace where he won the FA Cup and Charity Shield with a very good manager as well.

“Let’s see what the future brings for him and for us.”

When asked directly whether Liverpool could bid for Guehi again in January, Slot responded bluntly in eight words: “What I think most about now is Burnley”, who Liverpool face in a Premier League clash at Turf Moor on Sunday.

TEAMtalk transfer correspondent Fraser Fletcher revealed yesterday (August 11) that Liverpool could swoop for Guehi again in January, to avoid other clubs joining the race. A ‘lowball’ offer is understood to be under consideration.

Palace could also be tempted to cash in this winter rather than lose Guehi on a free transfer – but Oliver Glasner is also determined to keep his skipper.

The other factor to consider is that Ibrahima Konate’s future at Liverpool is far from certain. Like Guehi, his contract expires next summer, and with Real Madrid showing concrete interest, we could potentially see a repeat of the Trent Alexander-Arnold situation that saw the right-back head to the Bernabeu.

It may well be a case of Guehi IN, Konate OUT for Liverpool.

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