Liverpool have a chance to UPGRADE on Joe Gomez with Marc Guehi for £25m
Liverpool are reportedly looking for centre-backs - but how much of an upgrade would their £70m target be on Joe Gomez?
The Athletic reports that Liverpool are considering a move for Marc Guehi. This comes after Joe Gomez was left out of the squad to face Ipswich Town as he considers his future.
We exclusively revealed months ago that Gomez could leave this summer. Now it appears he might finally make that jump.
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But is that 'swap' actually worth it? Guehi would cost around £70m all-in, with Crystal Palace sticking strong to that valuation. Newcastle United have tried to sign him this summer but even an offer of £65m (£60m + £5m) fell flat.
It's a massive amount, rivalling the £75m Liverpool paid for Virgil van Dijk back in 2018. But it's a deal we think is worth it.
Marc Guehi vs Joe Gomez
There is one major advantage in Guehi over Gomez - their age. Not that Gomez is particularly old, as he's still somehow 27 despite being around for the entire Jurgen Klopp era. These are actually his prime years, in theory, but that's part of the reason why he could leave.
Gomez wants to be playing regular football in his best years. That won't happen at Anfield as he sits fourth in the centre-back pecking order, while his versatility isn't anywhere near as needed in the squad as it was last season. The full-backs are all fit, finally.
Guehi, though, only just turned 24 last month. He's got an extra three years on Gomez, then, and that's a huge reason why a transfer would make sense. His potential is much higher, while most would agree that he's playing at a higher level already.
The Palace star also ticks the right boxes for a new centre-back. He's homegrown, he can pass well and delivers the ball into the final third comfortably enough (around five times per 90 minutes), there's comfort with a high line, and now he boasts experience as a starting centre-back for England at a major tournament.
You'd expect to pay a big fee for all of that - and it's a fee Liverpool could offset with Gomez's sale. They previously agreed a £45m valuation with Newcastle for the no.2 back in June. While there's no guarantee that such an offer is still available, finding something similar would make Guehi a £25m 'upgrade'.
That is well worth it. Not just because of the 'upgrade' on Gomez but because of what Guehi would bring long-term. He'd be further competition for Ibrahima Konaté and Jarell Quansah, two defenders Arne Slot isn't 100% certain on just yet.But Guehi could also be Liverpool's long-term successor to Virgil van Dijk. It's a near-impossible task but we can't think of a much better candidate than Guehi, even with the large price tag.
The positives massively outweigh the risk here and if we're talking a £25m to £3om outlay (after Gomez's sale), then this could be some remarkable business.