Liverpool’s reasons for signing Marc Guehi as medical booked amid contract standoff

Marc Guehi is closing in on becoming Liverpool’s next major signing during a busy summer, and uncertainty around two of the Reds’ centre-backs means he could be much-needed

Liverpool’s summer of spending is showing no signs of ending just yet, but there is more than enough method behind the madness and the headlines.

As detailed by Mirror Football on Saturday, Anfield insiders now believe that the Reds are closing in on making Marc Guehi their seventh new arrival this summer, following on from raiding right-back Jeremie Frimpong, the extremely exciting Florian Wirtz, rapid left-back Milos Kerkez and goalkeepers Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi and Freddie Woodman.

The signing of Guehi would push Liverpool’s total summer outlay, including money specified for add-ons, towards the £250million mark, but with gaps in the squad needing to be filled and money from significant outgoings either already made or on the way, it is no surprise to see the champions acting so decisively.

Federico Chiesa was the only new face added to the squad during Arne Slot’s first summer at Anfield last year, with the Italian winger the only new player Liverpool signed in the last three transfer windows if you discount the deferred deal for Mamardashvili.

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That lack of transfer action turned out to be exactly what was required for Slot and the Reds, with the Dutch coach able to assess what he had at his disposal and guide his side to a dominant league title. One year on the squad needs to be freshened up, and Liverpool are acting accordingly.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has joined Real Madrid, and so in comes Frimpong. Left-back was an area of weakness for Liverpool in the past season, and so here’s Kerkez. Caoimhin Kelleher has gone to Brentford for £18m, largely because he knew Mamardashvili was coming. And further movements in the goalkeeping department have left the Reds short of youngsters and struggling with their homegrown quota, so here are Pecsi and Woodman.

The deal for Wirtz was one that you simply cannot pass up if the player wants it and you have the opportunity to do it. In addition, Liverpool were sometimes lacking in their output from attacking midfield positions over the past year, and with the likes of Harvey Elliott and Darwin Nunez slated for likely departures then the need for the German talent will be greater.

Back to Guehi though, and the situations that are unfolding which make Liverpool’s need for a reliable centre-back all the more pressing.

Jarell Quansah is slated to have his medical with Bayer Leverkusen after England’s Under-21 European Championship final against Germany, with reports in Europe claiming it will take place on Monday and the Reds will bank around £35m for the sale – a ‘pure profit’ sale in PSR terms, as were Alexander-Arnold and Kelleher.

Ibrahima Konate, meanwhile, has just one year left on his Reds deal and is giving off serious ‘Alexander-Arnold vibes’ as Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid circle. The latest reports suggest he is unhappy with what has so far been offered to him, and right now a parting of the ways next summer seems likely.

So with Quansah out and Konate almost out the need for a new centre-back is clear, and Guehi appears to be the player the Reds have settled on. There are doubts around him, and his aerial prowess in particular, but this is an FA Cup winning captain and regular starter for England, which ticks the homegrown box.

Guehi will be 25 in two weeks’ time, has a year left on his deal and is ready for the next challenge in his career, and right now there are few more exciting places to play your football than Liverpool.

The Reds hogged the headlines on the pitch last season, and are taking them off it this summer. Right now you can’t really look away.

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