Liverpool eye ‘more affordable plan B’ after Tottenham enter race to sign Guehi from Palace

Liverpool could switch their focus to Aston Villa centre-back Ezri Konsa this summer if a deal for Marc Guehi becomes difficult, according to reports.

The Reds have already added Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez to their squad this summer, while back-up goalkeepers Freddie Woodman and Armin Pecsi have also joined.

The Liverpool hierarchy have given Arne Slot their full backing in the summer transfer window after the Dutchman won the Premier League title in his first season at Anfield.

They are also set to sign another player in the coming days with Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike having his medical yesterday in Liverpool.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano wrote on X last night: ‘Hugo Ekitike has completed main part of medical tests today as new Liverpool player. Six year contract awaiting.’

Crystal Palace defender Guehi is one of their top targets as they continue to look to add to their squad this summer with a centre-back another priority.

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Transfer journalist Ben Jacobs revealed last month that Palace are now asking for £50m for Guehi, despite him being in the last year of his contract, a fee which could prove to be a stumbling block for the Reds.

Jacobs said in June: “Marc Guehi is not going to extend at Crystal Palace, that is our understanding and it means there’s two options.

“One is that he stays at Palace, gets the game time, hopefully gets into the World Cup squad and leaves on a free transfer. And from Guehi’s point of view he is prepared to entertain that possibility.

“Palace on the other hand want to sell him, this is their only opportunity to bring in big money. There could be a halfway house with a January exit of course for a fee, but Palace want to sell.

“Palace have asked in the past for £65-70m and now the asking price is more like £50m, maybe a little bit more with add-ons. It remains to be seen whether interested suitors are willing to pay that much.

“Liverpool are the latest club to be exploring this deal. A lot will depend not just on who can agree on a fee with Palace, but whether you can persuade Guehi he’s going to get the game time.

“He’s going to have to understand whether he can get enough game time to be firmly in the plans of Thomas Tuchel and that’s why at the end of the day even if he gets a lucrative offer, the player may actually still decide to stay at Crystal Palace.”

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Before The Athletic‘s David Ornstein delivered a fresh update on Tuesday, he said: “We know Liverpool are keen on him at the right price. Reports today suggest Tottenham, who made a bid for him in January, don’t forget, are still in the mix too.

“I think Palace would be looking to cash in rather than face losing him for free next summer, but he’s got the power in his hands.

“He’s very happy at Crystal Palace, by the sounds of it, and I don’t think he’d be afraid to go to the end of his deal. It doesn’t seem like a new contract is on the agenda.

“And I think Marc Guehi, with total respect to Crystal Palace, is going to be playing at the very top of Champions League football, whether it’s sooner or later, and so, yeah, you suspect this is going to be one of the stories of the upcoming weeks of the transfer window.”

And now Galicia Press claim that Liverpool’s ‘priority would be to bring’ Guehi to Anfield but ‘Slot’s team would have to dig deep into their pockets to lure him out of London’.

It is understood that the ‘slightly more affordable plan B is Ezri Konsa’ at Aston Villa with the centre-back impressing under Unai Emery and earning England caps in the process.

The report adds: ‘Whether Liverpool fish in south London or Birmingham, their moves would have a direct impact on Celta Vigo’s planning. The Celta Vigo side would run the risk of losing [Oscar] Mingueza, as he was once a priority for Aston Villa and has been closely monitored by Palace.’