Liverpool fans had already started dreaming. The thought of Marc Guehi walking out at Anfield in the famous red shirt felt so close on deadline day that many could almost touch it. The 25-year-old Crystal Palace defender had passed his Liverpool medical, the paperwork was ready, and a £35 million deal had been struck between the two clubs. But then, in dramatic fashion, the transfer collapsed. Palace pulled the plug at the very last moment, leaving Guehi stunned and Liverpool furious. Now, weeks later, the story has taken another twist—because Bayern Munich are preparing to test Liverpool’s resolve by entering the race for Guehi on a free transfer next summer.
This story is not just about one transfer. It is about the politics of football, the desperation of clubs to hold onto their stars, the rise of a defender who has quietly become one of the most reliable in England, and the looming fear that Liverpool might miss out on him forever.
It all began on that crazy deadline day in September. Guehi, who had been tracked by Liverpool for more than a year, was given permission to undergo his medical with the Reds after a £35 million fee was agreed. Everything seemed set. Guehi himself was excited, ready to take the next step in his career, and Liverpool’s manager Arne Slot believed he was the perfect signing to strengthen a backline that already had Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté. But football is rarely that simple. Palace manager Oliver Glasner stormed into heated discussions with club owner Steve Parish. Glasner begged Parish not to let Guehi leave, warning that Palace had failed to secure a suitable replacement. After hours of tense talks, Parish backed his manager. Liverpool were told the deal was off. Guehi, who had been waiting for confirmation, was left hanging. The dream of Anfield was snatched away from him in brutal fashion.
For Liverpool fans, it felt like yet another transfer heartbreak. This was not the first time a deal collapsed at the last minute, and losing out on Guehi hurt because the club’s defensive depth has often been tested by injuries. For Guehi, it was even worse. He had already imagined himself walking through the Shankly Gates, hearing You’ll Never Walk Alone, and battling for Premier League and Champions League glory. Instead, he returned to Selhurst Park, where the fans still loved him but where his ambitions had clearly outgrown the club.
Yet, to Guehi’s credit, he did not sulk. Instead, he responded in the best way possible—by performing brilliantly for club and country. In England’s recent World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia, Guehi was a rock at the back. He even scored his first senior international goal in the 5-0 demolition of Serbia, showing his leadership and confidence on the big stage. England manager Gareth Southgate praised him heavily, and pundits began to speak of him as a future leader in the Three Lions defense.
While Liverpool were left licking their wounds, Bayern Munich quietly began circling. The German giants are experts at snapping up top talents, especially when contracts are running down. Guehi’s Palace deal expires at the end of the 2025-26 season, which means that by January, he will be free to sign a pre-contract agreement with any club outside England. Bayern see an opportunity to swoop in without paying a transfer fee, something they have done many times before with great success.