Liverpool have key to Marc Guehi swap deal with Crystal Palace which will benefit both clubs…

Liverpool holds the key to a swap deal involving Marc Guehi with Crystal Palace, which would be advantageous for both teams.

The captain of Crystal Palace has attracted Liverpool’s interest in recent days.

Liverpool may consider using one of their players as a potential ‘makeweight’ to finalize a deal for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi this summer.

This summer, Liverpool has already secured seven signings: Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Hugo Ekitike, Armin Pecsi, Freddie Woodman, and Giorgi Mamardashvili – yet they continue to seek new additions ahead of the September 1 deadline.

On Friday, Arne Slot’s team kicked off their 2025/26 Premier League season with a 4-2 win against Bournemouth at Anfield.

The champions showcased their attacking strength, although defensive issues arose as Antoine Semenyo scored twice.

Liverpool’s defensive lineup has been weakened by the transfer of Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen earlier this summer.

Currently, Slot has only three center-backs available: Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, and new recruit Giovanni Leoni, while regular midfielders Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch could step in at center-back if necessary.

Rhys Williams, who was on loan at Morecambe last season, might also be an option but is expected to depart this summer due to interest from EFL clubs.

Thus, bringing in Guehi would provide essential Premier League and international experience to Slot’s squad.

However, finalizing the deal could be challenging.

On Saturday, during Football Focus, BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel shared insights regarding the current situation.

He stated: “The situation with Liverpool has now arisen. I believe he would leave. Currently, a deal or an agreement between the clubs is not forthcoming and has not materialized.

My understanding is that Marc Guehi is set to play tomorrow against Chelsea, which poses a bit of a risk considering potential injuries and similar concerns, and then discussions will resume on Monday. However, there is certainly momentum in that deal.”

Yet, several factors may need to be addressed to enable Guehi’s transfer to Merseyside.

Harvey Elliott might depart from Liverpool.

To begin with, Palace’s attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze has been strongly linked with both Arsenal and Spurs recently and appears poised to leave the Eagles this summer.

Consequently, Palace will likely look for a replacement and have already expressed interest in Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss.

Nevertheless, reports have also indicated that Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott could be included in a ‘swap deal’ that would be advantageous for both Liverpool and Palace.

Elliott’s future remains uncertain this summer, and he may serve as a ‘makeweight’ in a player-plus-cash arrangement to facilitate the Guehi transfer.

The England youth international has also been associated with Bundesliga club RB Leipzig.

Liverpool would gain from securing Guehi, while Palace would benefit financially and have an immediate replacement for Eze should he depart this summer.