![\"Marc](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/w=1200,h=673,fit=cover,q=90,g=face,dpr=1,f=auto,scq=50.png\")
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\n \u00a9 IMAGO – Marc Guehi Liverpool\n <\/p>\n
Liverpool missed out on signing Marc Guehi on transfer deadline day. <\/strong><\/p>\n Sporting director Richard Hughes left it late to formalise the club\u2019s bid for the Crystal Palace captain. And as a result of the FA Cup holder\u2019s failure to source a replacement, they called off the \u00a335m deal at the 11th hour.<\/p>\n Article continues under the video<\/p>\n That transfer miss has in turn had a big impact on Liverpool\u2019s season.<\/p>\n Although the Premier League champions added \u00a3450m worth of new players in the summer window – the failure to land Guehi could have the most transformative effect on Arne Slot\u2019s side.<\/p>\n Without him there is no real alternative to Ibrahima Konate – whose form has been on the slide all season. And the club cannot change easily to a back three – given they have only three senior fit centre-back options.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Liverpool had Leoni ahead of Guehi<\/p>\n Liverpool added Giovanni Leoni<\/a> for \u00a326m from Parma earlier in the summer – but the 18-year-old was injured on debut. The Italian suffered an ACL tear against Southampton in the EFL Cup and is not expected to play again this season.<\/p>\n Accordingly Arne Slot has no choice but to stick with Konate<\/strong><\/a> and cannot utilise a back three either due to a lack of depth beyond Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez.<\/p>\n And now it\u2019s emerged that Liverpool always had Leoni in mind as their first-choice centre-back over the summer – despite a pressing need to sign a Premier League-ready option.<\/p>\n According to a report<\/a> in the Times from Liverpool insider Paul Joyce, the teenager was always ahead of Guehi in the pecking order for the Reds\u2019 recruiters.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Leoni was ALWAYS the favourite<\/p>\n \u201cThey obviously like Marc Gu\u00e9hi, whose proposed \u00a335million move collapsed on deadline day when Crystal Palace could not sign a replacement, but the priority centre-back signing for the summer was Parma\u2019s Giovanni Leoni<\/a>,\u201d the report reads.<\/p>\n \u201cThe 18-year-old Italian is out for the season after suffering an ACL knee injury on his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.<\/p>\n \u201cTalks on Gu\u00e9hi were initiated on August 10 when the teams met at the Community Shield before going quiet until August 30. The deal was then on and then off again.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u00a9 IMAGO – Giovanni Leoni Liverpool\n <\/p>\n Let’s hope Leoni recovers well<\/p>\n Given that Leoni was always going to be a project<\/strong><\/a> – with only 17 top-flight appearances behind him when he signed – it is perhaps a surprise to learn Liverpool\u2019s centre-back hitlist.<\/p>\n It surely would have been more sensible to prioritise the signing of England international Guehi – who is well-established as one of the best defenders in the Premier League.<\/p>\n At 25, Guehi still has his best years ahead of him – and it now looks like a risk to pay slightly less for an unproven teenager rather than a sure bet in Guehi.<\/p>\n Let’s hope Richard Hughes’ faith in Leoni pays off long term and he can fulfil the promise he showed at Parma.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udd34 Shop the LFC 2025\/26 adidas home range<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffb Liverpool have a NEW right-back and he’s the best in the world<\/strong> <\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffb Marc Guehi is COMING: Liverpool will agree deal to sign England star<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n![\"Giovanni](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/public.png\")
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