Liverpool Explore Marc Guehi Transfer Alternatives as Defensive Crisis Deepens

Liverpool need a new centre-back in January – we analyse the best transfer targets, alternatives to Marc Guehi, and who fits Arne Slot’s system.

Liverpool’s wretched run of form has forced them to alter their January transfer priorities.

Rather than looking at players for the long term, they need players to come in and do a job right now – unbelievable considering the huge amount of money dished out in the summer.

Arne Slot’s side have lost nine of their last 12 games, conceded first in 10 of those, and produced their worst run in 71 years.

The defending is all over the place, confidence is gone, record signing Alexander Isak is flopping, and even Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate – once Liverpool’s most secure axis – are committing unforced errors weekly.

A centre-back signing is now a must. Marc Guehi remains Liverpool’s preferred target, but with Crystal Palace likely to play hardball in January and competition building ahead of his contract expiry in the summer, Liverpool must look at viable alternatives.

And the truth is: there may be smarter fits available for what the team needs right now.

Why Liverpool Need a New Centre-Back in January

The problems extend far beyond personnel. Liverpool’s press is dysfunctional, the defensive line is disjointed, and the manager doesn’t know his best fullback pairing.

Slot has rotated Milos Kerkez and Andy Robertson at left back, and Connor Bradley, Jeremie Frimpong and Dominik Szoboszlai at right back, leaving the centre-backs exposed to wildly different profiles every week.

Even looking at some of the moves their rivals made, they would’ve been better off going for Piero Hincapie, who moved to Arsenal, or Jorrel Hato, who switched to Chelsea. They did attempt to move for Bournemouth’s Dean Hujsen, but of course he had his heart set on Real Madrid.

Konate has suffered a severe dip in form and, crucially, is out of contract at the end of the season. Van Dijk has 18 months left and is declining physically. Joe Gomez remains the only senior depth option, while Giovanni Leoni’s ACL injury has taken away the one long-term project player who might have contributed rotational minutes.

This is not a team that can ‘wait for the summer’. Liverpool cannot risk sliding further into mid-table while their defensive core ages out simultaneously.

Marc Guehi: Liverpool’s Top Transfer Target

Guehi appeals because he solves several problems at once. He’s Premier League proven, he’s comfortable on either side, and he’s very reliable technically.

Like Van Dijk, he is right-footed but is also suited to playing at left centre-back. He is flexible in terms of the systems he has played in during his career, and his contract is winding down, theoretically lowering the fee.

He fits the type of profile Liverpool should have targeted in the summer – a defender who can play LCB, RCB, or slot into a back three without breaking the build-up structure.

But Palace may refuse to let him go mid-season, and Liverpool cannot afford to wait until July.

If Guehi becomes unattainable, Liverpool need alternatives who tick the same boxes: mobility, 1v1 defending, comfort in possession, positional versatility, and an age profile that complements Leoni without blocking his development.

Liverpool Centre Back Targets

According to multiple recent reports, Richard Hughes’ shortlist consists of five high-profile options:

• Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)

• Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund)

• Goncalo Inacio (Sporting CP)

• Antonio Silva (Benfica)

• Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)

As good as these players are, they come with complications. Silva and Inacio will likely command excessive fees mid-season and come with league adaptation risks. Schlotterbeck has outstanding underlying numbers, but again, Dortmund may demand a premium. Upamecano is a short-contract value play but is inconsistent in his decision-making and may not be a natural fit for Liverpool’s current instability.

Liverpool aren’t in a position to throw big money at another big name who may or may not work out. They need to be smarter, like the Liverpool of old.

Which brings us to two under-the-radar alternatives who arguably fit the brief better than the headline candidates.

Liverpool Guehi Alternatives

Mario Gila

In terms of age, price, and the profile of player Liverpool should be targeting, Lazio defender Mario Gila could be an interesting option.

He’s contracted until 2027, so would not command a heavy fee, and at 25 he sits neatly in Liverpool’s preferred age bracket.

He is quick across the ground, comfortable defending in space, and technically secure enough to operate in possession-heavy teams or in more reactive defensive structures.

A Real Madrid academy graduate, Gila has developed into a defender who thrives in high-responsibility environments. He reads danger early and steps out aggressively to break up attacks, yet still has the recovery pace to handle transition moments.

His versatility allows him to play on either side of a back three or a back four, and he offers reliable ball progression without taking undue risks.

While he isn’t physically dominant, he’s still big enough, fast enough, and aggressive enough. The one concern is his 1v1 defending in large spaces – though it’s hard to separate individual weakness from Lazio’s system.

Crucially, he fits the “Ship of Theseus” concept Liverpool need: a defender who can play alongside Van Dijk or Konate now, learn the demands, and eventually be part of a gradual rebuild rather than a total teardown.

Oumar Solet

If Liverpool want to prioritise versatility, Oumar Solet of Udinese may be the most intriguing option of the lot.

Yes, there’s an “orange flag”: he mutually terminated his contract with Salzburg in September 2024 and sat out several months before joining Udinese. That requires due diligence – Liverpool need stability, not personality risk.

But on the pitch, the profile is very ideal.

He is naturally right-footed but has extensive experience playing on the left of a centre-back pairing, which immediately makes him very useful in a squad short on balance.

He looks equally comfortable operating in either a back three or a back four, and his ball-carrying numbers are outstanding, ranking in the top tier of centre-backs for progressive carries and entries into advanced zones.

He is strong in the air and physically robust, traits that Liverpool badly need alongside Virgil van Dijk.

He also plays long diagonal passes and switches with confidence, giving Slot a defender who can break pressure rather than simply recycle possession.

Similar to Gila, he’s 25, and his contract expires in 2027, so he should be available for a fee far more manageable than Premier League-proven alternatives.

The standout attribute is his carrying. Last season he completed 1.3 dribbles per 90 as a centre-back with an 81% success rate, which is extraordinary. When a coaching staff trusts a centre-back to dribble that much, it’s a sign of genuine talent under pressure.

In a Liverpool side that currently lacks a defender who can break lines off the dribble – much like what we used to see from Joel Matip – Solet would add a dimension the squad doesn’t possess.

Who Should Liverpool Sign in January?

Given Liverpool’s current situation – crisis-level form, a defensive structure that has collapsed, senior centre-backs declining, and Konate entering the final months of his contract – they need a defender who can contribute immediately.

They need to be comfortable playing on either side of central defence and bring both speed and physical presence.

Liverpool require someone who can defend in large spaces, who doesn’t come attached to a £50 million+ fee, who fits an age profile that complements Leoni, and who adds either ball-carrying or progressive passing to a back line that has become stagnant.

Based on that criteria, if Marc Guehi becomes unattainable, Mario Gila could be a safe and smart Liverpool-like solution. Oumar Solet may offer a higher upside and more versatility, while someone like Pierre Kalulu provides an ideal flexible profile if Juventus are willing to negotiate.

Guehi remains the perfect signing in theory, but Liverpool should not need to panic if he cannot be prised away in January. A move should still materialise in the summer – for free.

There are still value options available who suit the squad’s needs better than some of the headline names, and identifying one quickly is pivotal if Liverpool are to prevent their season from unravelling any further.