Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing a move for a central defender who could be viewed as a Marc Guehi replacement by Crystal Palace
Sign up to The LFC Bulletin with Will Rooney
Sign up
Thank you for signing up!
Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to LiverpoolWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.
Submitting...
Liverpool made it three wins from three in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon with a narrow victory over title rivals Arsenal at Anfield.
Dominik Szoboszlai scored a stunning free-kick with seven minutes of normal time remaining as he lashed in the dead-ball in front of The Kop to become the first player to score past the Gunners this campaign.
There had been concerns over the Reds’ defensive capabilities after they conceded twice against Crystal Palace (in the Community Shield), Bournemouth and 10-man Newcastle United. However, they shut out Mikel Arteta’s side.
Joe Gomez came on after an injury to Ibrahima Konate and the Reds veteran showed his defensive prowess with some strong clearances to preserve the clean sheet. Ahead of the game, Liverpool had been linked with a move for Crystal Palace ace Marc Guehi with a £35m offer made.
Guehi started for the Eagles as they won at Aston Villa on Sunday evening. He also scored a stunning goal as the London side won 3-0 in Birmingham. The player does not plan to sign a new deal with the club and is available on a free transfer next summer. However, it remains to be seen what happens in the final days of the window.
Oliver Glasner has concerns over replacing Guehi
Speaking to the media after his side’s dominant win over Villa, Eagles boss Oliver Glasner was adamant about his desire to keep Guehi.
He said: "Of course, I have mentioned it so often [about wanting to keep Marc Guehi]. We have to. Again, it is if we want a successful season. We have had a fantastic start.
"We had a great start, so it is just the start. The first step is made and for a successful season we need Marc. It is not possible to find a replacement in one day.
"This is our captain. We have to keep him. I told this to the chairman [Steve Parish].
"I like Marc, he is such a professional player and such a nice guy. It is for the future of Crystal Palace. We have to keep him.
"We don't have the right replacement, so for me, it is clear that we keep him."
One player who could be seen as an ideal replacement for Guehi is Manchester City ace Manuel Akanji but reports in Italy claim it is Tottenham Hotspur who are leading the chase.
Tottenham lead chase for Manuel Akanji amid Crystal Palace interest
According to Gazetta Dello Sport, Palace, Spurs and AC Milan are all interested in Akanji. Galatasaray had previously been linked but are now said to be out of the running.
AC Milan have no issues meeting Man City’s demands but are set to struggle in their attempts to convince Akanji due to the player’s wage demands and his desire to play in the Champions League. The report said: “The Rossoneri also have to contend with Akanji's desire to play in the Champions League. From this perspective, Tottenham are ahead of the Rossoneri. Crystal Palace are in third place.”
The news that Palace are third in the running with Spurs leading the chase could spell bad news for Liverpool. Glasner appears determined to keep hold of Guehi, especially if he cannot sign an adequate replacement. The interest from Spurs and AC Milan will hurt the Reds’ pursuit of Guehi unless Palace can find an alternative in time.
Liverpool have ruled out the possibility of Joe Gomez heading to Selhurst Park in a potential swap.