Inside Guéhi’s Almost-Move to Liverpool as Deadline Day Deal Unravels

Marc Guéhi has opened up about just how close he came to joining Liverpool in 2025 before the proposed move fell apart in dramatic fashion. Nearly five months have passed since the Reds agreed a £35 million deal with Crystal Palace for the England defender, only for the transfer to collapse in the final hours of deadline day after Palace ran out of time to secure a replacement.

That late decision proved costly. Earlier this month, Manchester City moved in to sign the 25-year-old for just £20 million, with Liverpool opting not to reignite their interest amid the belief that the deal no longer represented value in the market.

Guéhi has now publicly addressed the failed switch to Anfield, revealing that he had been on the brink of completing his medical when the move was abruptly halted. Speaking to the Daily Mail, the centre-back explained that he had even undergone an MRI scan before Palace pulled the plug.
“It was extremely close — very close,” Guéhi said. “The medical was basically done and then it was stopped at the last moment.”

The report also noted that England teammates John Stones and Phil Foden played a role in persuading him to choose Manchester City.
Liverpool have since felt the consequences of the collapsed transfer. Guéhi’s comments have reopened old frustrations for supporters, particularly given the defensive issues that have plagued the club since last summer.

Just weeks after the deal fell through, Giovanni Leoni suffered a serious ACL injury, leaving Arne Slot with only three senior centre-backs. Matters worsened when Joe Gomez was sidelined for the second time this season after limping off during Saturday’s defeat to Bournemouth.
With Ibrahima Konaté on compassionate leave following the death of his father, Liverpool were forced to deploy rarely-used midfielder Wataru Endo as an emergency centre-back during the loss at the Vitality Stadium.

While Liverpool endured another difficult weekend, Guéhi enjoyed an impressive Manchester City debut, helping Pep Guardiola’s side keep a clean sheet in a comfortable home win over Wolves.

The disappointment over how the transfer collapsed will linger among the fanbase, but sporting director Richard Hughes cannot afford to dwell on what might have been. To prevent the situation from deteriorating further, Liverpool must now act decisively to bring in an experienced, first-team-ready centre-back for Slot.