Liverpool advance talks with Crystal Palace over Marc Guehi

Liverpool are advancing in talks with Crystal Palace over a deal for Marc Guéhi as they urgently seek defensive reinforcements.

The Premier League champions are also pursuing an interest in Parma’s 18-year-old centre back Giovanni Leoni in a separate deal as a summer of change at Anfield continues to gather pace.

Richard Hughes, the Liverpool sporting director, accelerated the latest part of the club’s recruitment drive by contacting the Palace chairman, Steve Parish, to open formal discussions on England defender Guéhi.

Liverpool are hoping to secure the transfer of the 25-year-old for a fee that would be about £30million to £35million.

Guéhi is in the final year of his contract and Parish admitted after Palace’s Community Shield victory over Liverpool at Wembley on Sunday that allowing the centre half to leave on a free transfer would constitute a “problem” for them.

Advertisement

An auction would clearly benefit Palace, but one has failed to materialise, with Guéhi keen to move to Liverpool before the transfer window closes. Otherwise, he will wait and exercise his right as a free agent.

Palace turned down a £70million bid from Tottenham Hotspur in January, having previously rebuffed numerous offers from Newcastle United a year ago that were worth up to £65million.

The pursuit of Guéhi does not affect Liverpool’s interest in Leoni, though he is keen to play first-team football and continue the development that has earmarked him as a top prospect.

Guéhi performed excellently at Wembley TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER BRADLEY ORMESHER

Leoni has been tracked by Inter Milan, whose new coach, Cristian Chivu, oversaw the teenager’s development at Parma last season.

Inter have other transfer priorities, including Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman, and budget issues may preclude them from meeting Parma’s asking price of about £30million.

Advertisement

Yet while Liverpool know it will not be easy to convince Leoni to make the move to Merseyside, that Hughes is still at the table reflects a willingness to prevail.

Leoni is regarded as one the best of the young centre backs in Europe and Liverpool have been trying to recruit a younger player in the position for a number of seasons.

Interest in Levi Colwill, Leny Yoro and Dean Huijsen was unsuccessful over the past three summers. In Yoro’s case that was primarily to do with the pathway on offer, and so he chose to join Manchester United from Lille.

Donnarumma was outstanding for PSG last season as they won the Treble, but appears to have fallen out of favour JUAN MABROMATA/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

The need for greater depth at centre back has been clear since the sale of Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen for £35million last month.

Liverpool have three centre backs in Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté and Joe Gomez. Gomez is injured, although not seriously, and Konaté’s long-term future is unclear after he entered the final year of his contract amid interest from Real Madrid.

Advertisement

Donnarumma not on Chelsea or United wishlist

Chelsea are not interested in the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and Manchester United do not regard the position as a priority while André Onana remains at the club (Peter Rutzler and Charlotte Duncker write).

Donnarumma is expected to be available for a cut-price fee of about £26million this summer after he was told he was no longer in the PSG head coach Luis Enrique’s plans. The 26-year-old, who was signed on a free transfer from AC Milan in 2021, has one year remaining on his contract and has been left out of PSG’s squad for the Uefa Super Cup final against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night.

Chelsea made an offer for the AC Milan and France goalkeeper Mike Maignan earlier in the summer, but the club decided he was not necessarily an upgrade on the players they already have in that position. They retain belief in Robert Sánchez, whose stock has improved after a good showing at the Club World Cup, and Filip Jorgensen, who made 24 appearances in all competitions last season.

PSG sources suggested that both Manchester clubs have checked on Donnarumma’s situation this summer, although it is understood United would only look to sign a goalkeeper if Onana, who has attracted interest from Saudi Arabia, leaves the club.

City, meanwhile, assessed their goalkeeping options earlier in the summer and went on to sign James Trafford from Burnley for £27million. Club sources say they are not in talks with PSG about Donnarumma and, at present, expect Ederson, last season’s No1, to stay despite interest from Galatasaray.

Advertisement

Donnarumma was an exceptional performer for PSG during their Treble-winning campaign, but he was also seen as a slightly awkward fit for Enrique, who prefers his goalkeepers to be exceptional with the ball at their feet. PSG have signed the promising 23-year-old Lucas Chevalier from Lille, who is expected to be the club’s No1 next season.

Galatasaray are believed to be an option for Donnarumma.

Bournemouth to sign Zabarnyi replacement

Bournemouth are set to confirm the signing of centre back Bafodé Diakité from Lille after selling Illia Zabarnyi to Paris Saint-Germain (Peter Rutzler writes).

Zabarnyi’s move to Paris was confirmed on Tuesday morning and the Ukraine centre back has signed a five-year contract with the European champions. After a protracted negotiation, PSG agreed a fee with Bournemouth worth an initial €63million (£54.4million), with a further £2.6million in add-ons.

Diakité, 24, is set to sign a five-year deal as his replacement after Bournemouth struck a deal worth €40million (£34.5million), which includes add-ons worth £4.3million.

Advertisement

Muniz scored 11 goals in 36 appearances in all competitions last season BEN STANSALL/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Bournemouth have tried to move quickly to secure replacements after losing four of their back five from last season, with the goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga leaving along with the defenders Dean Huijsen, who signed for Real Madrid, and Milos Kerkez, who has gone to Liverpool. They have signed the Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic for £25million and Adrien Truffert, a left back, has signed from Rennes for a reported £14.5million.

Fulham reject Muniz bid

Fulham have rejected a £34.5million bid from Atalanta for the striker Rodrigo Muniz (Peter Rutzler writes).

Muniz has been subject to Premier League interest this summer, with Fulham also rejecting a £32million bid from Leeds United earlier in the transfer window.

Fulham have had a quiet summer so far, but are determined to keep their squad together ahead of the new season. They are also looking to strengthen, with a winger a priority after the departures of Reiss Nelson and Willian at the end of last season.

The club are pursuing the Shakhtar Donetsk winger Kevin, but talks have stalled due to a gap in valuation. Fulham are believed to have made an offer for the 22-year-old that would have eclipsed the fee they paid for their record signing, Emile Smith Rowe, had it been accepted. Smith Rowe signed from Arsenal last summer in a deal that could be worth up to £34million. Shakhtar are believed to be seeking a fee of close to £40million for the Brazil U20 international.

Fulham are interested in bringing back Nelson from Arsenal, who spent last season on loan at Craven Cottage, as well as Samuel Chukwueze of AC Milan, but agreements have not been reached for either player.

Click here to read article