Liverpool close in on late signing who’d have a bigger impact than Ekitike

Liverpool succeeded in claiming three points to start their title defence, defeating Bournemouth on a frenetic evening at Anfield.

However, as cool as Arne Slot comes across, he will know full well that his Liverpool have plenty of work to ply if they hope to retain their Premier League crown while fighting for silverware across the campaign’s various other fronts.

In particular, Liverpool have looked exposed in defence twice in one week since the 2025/26 season kicked off, with the Cherries coming from two goals down before Federico Chiesa‘s last magic on Friday after Crystal Palace restored parity twice in the Community Shield before going on to lift the trophy.

Though we all hope to see greater balance at Liverpool over the coming weeks, with the equilibrium restored, but while a new defender and the fluency between the central and deeper thirds left something to be desired, it’s actually the frontline which might receive some attention, with Alexander Isak desperate to rival the impressive Hugo Ekitike for that number nine berth.

The latest on Isak to Liverpool

Liverpool’s pursuit of Newcastle United’s star striker continues to drag on. Isak is desperate to complete a move to Merseyside and is on strike from Eddie Howe’s squad, but the Magpies are adamant they will not sanction his departure without signing suitable replacements, and that has yet to happen.

Given that Anfield sporting director Richard Hughes has already seen a formal £100m offer, plus add-ons, rejected this month, Liverpool will only make their move once encouraged by Toon officials. This has clearly not happened yet.

Of course, the issue is that Ekitike has started his Reds career off in resounding fashion, scoring in both of his appearances for Liverpool so far, and assisting against Bournemouth too.

Hailed for his “brilliant start” to life in England by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher, Ekitike’s prolific opening to life as a Liverpool striker bodes well for the future, and even tempers the need for a free-scoring centre-forward such as Isak, especially with improvements needed in other areas.

And despite Liverpool signing young centre-half Giovanni Leoni from Parma for a £26m fee last week, the hunt remains on for a high-level defender.

Liverpool still chasing defender

As per reports from Spain, Liverpool remain focused on completing a late-window deal for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi this month, even with Steve Parish proving to be a difficult negotiator.

Guehi, 25, has entered the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park, and despite hitches in discussions so far, it’s reported that Liverpool are closing in on landing the England international for a £35m fee.

Whether FSG pull the difficult deal off remains to be seen, but Guehi wants to join, and things are expected to come to a head shortly.

Why Liverpool want to sign Marc Guehi

Guehi has certainly had an eventful start to the fresh campaign, starring as Crystal Palace beat Liverpool to lift the Community Shield before keeping a clean sheet at Stamford Bridge, albeit culpable for Eberechi Eze’s fantastic free-kick being ruled out too.

And the spotlight will continue to shine on him if he completes a move to Liverpool, with those of a Reds persuasion sure to expect him to be the “monster in defence“, as commented by Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, that he has established a reputation as while with the Eagles.

A sturdy centre-back with a high-level technical game and a composed approach that offers shades of one Virgil van Dijk, Guehi appears tailor-made for Liverpool, and the impact he makes on Slot’s squad could be quite a thing.

Ekitike has earned the plaudits for his performances since swapping Eintracht Frankfurt for Liverpool, but Guehi has what it takes to enjoy an even finer start to life at Liverpool, should Hughes and co manage to close a deal in the coming weeks.

An accomplished Premier League defender who has now captained his side toward two domestic trophies in a matter of months, Guehi knows the English scene well and could prove to be the missing piece in the puzzle for an Anfield side questing for more glory.

Ibrahima Konate’s future is up in the air, and he played like it against Bournemouth, with Carragher noting he was “all over the place” against Andoni Iraola’s well-oiled and lively outfit.

In contrast, Guehi proves a pillar of strength and calmness for Palace, and if Slot can secure that version of the Three Lions star, he could prove the cream of Liverpool’s transfer window, outstripping Ekitike and ensuring this club advances toward the next illustrious chapter.

FBref have recorded that Guehi ranks among the top 11% of centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 10% for key passes and the top 2% for through balls per 90, so he’s not just a tough-tackling ‘monster’, but a cultured and Liverpool-fit defensive presence besides.

Given that Guehi is the complete package and has enough Premier League experience to do it at the hhighest level week in, week out, he might just prove to be the answer to Slot’s issues, reinforcing the backline while weaving together the fluency on the ball that would favour the likes of Ekitike and fellow recruit Florian Wirtz in finding their feet.

In any case, it’s paramount that FSG seal this deal, lest Liverpool find themselves sold short at critical moments across the term.