Liverpool open talks with Crystal Palace over £30m Marc Guehi transfer

Guehi

Liverpool have opened talks with Crystal Palace over a potential £35millon deal for Marc Guehi as they look to accelerate their interest in the centre-back.

Guehi has been a target for much of the summer with the Reds looking to overhaul their defensive options.

The 25-year-old England international is in the last year of his contract at Palace and has shown no inclination of negotiating a new deal.

Palace chairman Steve Parish admitted earlier this week losing the player for nothing would be a "problem" and that Guehi could depart during the ongoing transfer window.

And now Liverpool have made their move with discussions taking place over a deal for Guehi for a fee believed to be £30m up front with £5m in add-ons.

While personal terms have not yet been agreed with Guehi, the player is understood to be keen on making the move to Liverpool.

Out of respect for the relationship between the two clubs, particularly the long-standing relationship between Liverpool's football leadership team and Parish, discussions are being conducted on a club to club basis first.

Only once an agreement is reached with Palace will Liverpool then negotiate terms with Guehi himself.

The swoop for Guehi is separate to Liverpool's pursuit of Parma centre-back Giovanni Leoni, with the Reds ready to ramp up their interest in the 18-year-old.

That is being viewed outside the club's usual transfer business, similar to their failed attempt to sign Leny Yoro last season when the French defender eventually chose to join Manchester United from Lille.

Liverpool are keen to bolster their central defensive options having allowed Jarell Quansah to join Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the summer.

Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez are their only three senior centre-back options, with Konate in the last 12 months of his contract and Gomez currently injured.

The Reds have already had a significant revamp of their rearguard this summer. In goal, Caoimhin Kelleher has departed with Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi and Freddie Woodman now offering competition for first-choice Alisson Becker.

Jeremie Frimpong has come in at right-back with Trent Alexander-Arnold having gone, while Milos Kerkez has been recruited at left-back to challenge Andy Robertson with Kostas Tsimikas edging towards an exit.