Liverpool Marc Guehi bid: Could cut-price transfer replace both Ibrahima Konate and Milos Kerkez to fix Arne Slot's defence?

Premier League champions Liverpool have reportedly submitted a bid of £35m for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, who has been identified as the Reds' main target to reinforce their defence this summer.

Arne Slot's side faced the Eagles in the Community shield earlier this month, losing on penalties after surrendering their lead twice and drawing 2-2 in regular time at Wembley.

On the top flight's opening night, the Merseysiders followed up that defeat by once again letting their lead slip, allowing Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo to score two goals to level the clash at 2-2, though late strikes from Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah secured all three points for Liverpool.

In what has now become an undeniable trend, the Reds failed to hold onto their two-goal lead on Monday when they travelled to St James' Park to take on Newcastle United, and Eddie Howe's 10 men were only beaten by a 100th-minute winner from then-16-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha.

Despite winning both of their first two Premier League matches in 2025-26, Slot's team have shown a defensive vulnerability that was not present last season, highlighted by the fact that they have surrendered the lead in all of their three most recent games, conceding twice in each.

The reason for this weakness has been widely debated, but it is generally thought that the mass change in personnel at Liverpool this summer - four new players have joined the first XI - and the systemic tweaks implemented by Slot have led to a more exposed backline.

Here, Sports Mole considers how signing Guehi could improve the Reds' defence, and where the England star could fit into the manager's plans.

What are Liverpool transfer target Marc Guehi's strengths?

Prior to the arrival of Giovanni Leoni from Parma in the current transfer window, Liverpool had not signed a centre-half since the summer of 2021, when Ibrahima Konate made the switch from RB Leipzig.

The champions have a general set of attributes that they look for when considering additions at centre-back, as can be seen when comparing their current crop.

Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Konate were the club's key arrivals in that department under Jurgen Klopp, and all three are aerially dominant, above six feet, four inches tall, and had the necessary pace to cover the channels.

Even Leoni stands at six feet and five inches as a teenager, and he dealt with some of the most physical strikers in world football during his time in Serie A, including Dusan Vlahovic and Romelu Lukaku.

Guehi does not quite match the physical profile of a typical Liverpool centre-back with his listed height of six foot, and he is not known for his speed either.

However, the Palace captain possesses a strong reading of the game, and his greatest attribute - his ability on the ball - would surely add a different dynamic to Slot's backline.

Could Guehi replace Konate alongside Van Dijk for Liverpool?

Liverpool have been defensively lacklustre at the start of the season, and while all of their problems can not be blamed on one individual, Konate stands out as someone that has endured a tough spell.

The Frenchman enjoyed his best campaign to date in 2024-25, making 42 appearances across the Premier League, Champions League and League Cup, and it is likely that his current form will be reversed in time.

That being said, the Reds' number five managed to stay fit and avoid significant time on the sidelines through injury last term, and it remains to be seen whether he can repeat that feat this season.

Should Guehi complete the move to Anfield, then his most likely route into the starting XI would be via an injury to Konate, who has missed 45 matches and 213 days of action in the last three campaigns alone.

In the long-term, Van Dijk's current centre-back partner has just one year left on his contract, and Real Madrid have been credited with an interest in signing Konate for free next summer.

Los Blancos acquired Trent Alexander-Arnold for a cut-price ahead of the Club World Cup as his deal wound down, and Liverpool fans were outraged by what was seen as a betrayal from one of their own.

While CEO Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes will be keen to avoid losing two stars to Madrid in successive seasons, a switch to Spain remains on the cards, and bringing Guehi to Merseyside now could be viewed as a pre-emptive move to replace Konate in advance.

Could Guehi play in other positions for Slot's Liverpool?

During his career to date, Guehi has played the majority of his minutes at centre-back, but he has also featured at full-back and even in a defensive midfield role on occasion.

With the arrival of Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong this summer, Slot has not only overhauled his options on the flanks but also implemented a new system.

Under Klopp, Liverpool's Andrew Robertson and Alexander-Arnold were renowned for their attacking prowess, and while the England right-back took up a deeper role in later seasons, the Scotsman was famous for his marauding runs up and down the left-hand side.

However, in 2025-26, Slot has utilised a shape that sees Kerkez line up alongside Van Dijk and Konate when the Reds have the ball, forming something akin to a back three in possession and reducing his left-back's offensive influence.

The Hungarian has looked nervous so far, and his error on Monday that allowed Bruno Guimaraes to score an inspiring header at the back post was just the latest defensive lapse that he has made.

While it would be unfair to write off Kerkez so quickly, especially given that he is only 21-years-old, Guehi could fill in at left-back in more demanding situations should the boss feel the need for a more robust option alongside Van Dijk.

As part of Oliver Glasner's side, Guehi has operated as the left centre-back in a three-man setup, and his role at Selhurst Park could translate well to Liverpool's left full-back position should he make the switch.