Liverpool could now look to table an “increased bid” for a brilliant player in the coming days, Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol reports.
Liverpool suffer injury blow before Newcastle
The Reds are preparing for a tough trip to Newcastle United on Monday night, with the Alexander Isak saga only adding an extra spark to the game. It will be a big test for Arne Slot’s Premier League champions, and unfortunately, Liverpool’s head coach has confirmed that Jeremie Frimpong will be absent with a hamstring injury that will keep him out until next month.
“The medical team was completely right about it, to tell me I had to take him off [against Bournemouth]. He’s out until the end of the international break, and that happened in the game. I think I got criticised a bit for taking him off, didn’t I?
“I already said immediately after the game it had nothing to do with how he played. “We felt he had an issue with the hamstring, the medical staff, and they were completely right. Good call to take him off, otherwise he would maybe have been out for longer. We expect him to be back after the international break.”
Away from on-pitch matters, a key Liverpool transfer update has now emerged, as the Reds up the ante in their attempts to sign a long-time target.
Palace "cannot" let Guehi's deal run down
According to Solhekol, Liverpool may now submit an “increased bid” for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, with Steve Parish determined not to lose him for free when his contract expires next summer. However, it may be dependent on Palace’s UEFA Conference League action.
“It is possible [Marc Guehi leaves Crystal Palace in this window], it depends on what happens in the game tonight (Thursday). If they win the game easily so that almost they’re through the playoff, it doesn’t matter about the return leg next week, I can see a situation where maybe Liverpool step up their interest in Guehi and make an increased bid for him in the next couple of days.
“And then Palace would have a decision to make. But having heard from [chairman] Steve Parish, he said we cannot have a situation where a player as good as Guehi leaves on a free transfer next summer. So they would possibly be open to selling both those players [Eberechi Eze as well].”
The Reds will have to force the Eagles’ hand a bit after they only managed a 1-0 win against Fredrikstad in their Conference League qualifer, with Oliver Glasner saying after the match: “I just know if Marc leaves and he’s not available for Fredrikstad we will have big troubles. It’s pretty clear, we can’t register anyone, so from my side he has to stay.”
A new centre-back is so important for Liverpool this summer, with too much reliance on Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate staying fit, despite bringing in exciting teenager Giovanni Leoni from Parma. Guehi has always felt like an ideal choice to come in, considering he is a Premier League captain who has become an established player for England, being hailed as “world class” by Three Lions teammate Ezri Konsa.
The £50,000-a-week defender could provide great competition in Liverpool’s defence, and with doubts persisting over Konate’s long-term future, he could even be the future leader of Slot’s back-line at Anfield.