Real Madrid ready to offer ‘huge signing-on fee’ to beat Liverpool to marquee signing
Liverpool risk losing out to Real Madrid or Juventus for Marc Guehi’s signature after their failed attempt to sign the England defender, sources have told Football Insider.
Guehi remains a Crystal Palace player after his deadline day move to Anfield collapsed at the eleventh hour, with Oliver Glasner personally intervening to prevent his captain leaving without a replacement.
As I recently revealed on on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Liverpool will look to complete Guehi‘s signing either in January or next summer, but could now face new competition.
Football Insider revealed on 2 September that Liverpool are in “open dialogue” with Guehi ahead of potentially re-igniting their pursuit in the January window, and will hope they’ve already turned his head.
However, my sources have said that Real Madrid and Juventus are fond of Guehi and could launch their own bids to sign him next summer, with both having strong track records when it comes to free agents.
Liverpool are hopeful that the groundwork they’ve already laid for Guehi will see him end up at Anfield, but Madrid’s interest in particular could see them pay Crystal Palace’s £25million price tag and fast-track the transfer.
Liverpool to launch new Guehi bid amid Real Madrid interest
Football Insider revealed on Saturday that Liverpool wanted to “save a lot of money” on Guehi by waiting until next summer to sign him, but Real Madrid entering the race could lead to a change in their stance.
“We know how good the likes of Real Madrid and Juventus are at landing free agents”, I said on the new Inside Track podcast.
“They do specialise in that, to try and sign players on free transfers, usually with the offer of a huge signing-on fee as well.
“Obviously it’s hard to compete with the likes of Real Madrid when it comes to signing [under-contract] players as well.
“Liverpool have now done so much work on Guehi that they’ll be hopeful that, although they did miss out last-minute in this window, they can finally get a deal done.
“[That will] either be in January if the situation arises, or on a free transfer next summer.”
Marc Guehi has eyes on Anfield despite late transfer collapse
Real Madrid have tormented Liverpool both on and off the pitch in recent seasons, beating them in the 2022 Champions League final and plucking Trent Alexander-Arnold from under their noses in June.
Football Insider revealed last month that Liverpool could sell Ibrahima Konate as soon as January to fend off interest from Madrid, who want to sign the out-of-contract centre-back for free next summer.
Guehi and Konate are in similar situations at their respective clubs, but after losing Alexander-Arnold to Los Blancos for well below his market value, Liverpool will be keen to ensure neither defender ends up at the Santiago Bernabeu.