Forget Guehi! Liverpool have pathway to stunning £70m centre-back deal

Liverpool fans will no doubt be feeling a little frustrated.

Marc Guehi was in the Premier League champions’ grasp just a few short months ago but now looks set to move to Manchester City.

Sporting director Richard Hughes agreed a fee for the Crystal Palace captain back on transfer deadline day. The Reds would pay an initial £35m for Guehi - whose contract at the FA Cup holders was due to expire in summer 2026.

But owing to a failure to land a replacement Palace pulled the plug with the 25-year-old defender instead staying put.

Guehi gone, Bastoni identified instead

Man City’s needs for a top-quality centre-back have increased in recent weeks - considering the injuries suffered by Ruben Dias, John Stones and above all Josko Gvardiol.

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That meant Pep Guardiola brought forward a deal for Guehi - who was set to become a high-profile free agent next summer. The England defender will now join City on a bumper contract for a fee of around £20m - leaving Liverpool empty-handed.

Plans will now need to be made for an alternative defender to come to Anfield - and it’s unlikely to happen in January. But next summer the picture will change and the Merseysiders will need to recruit a solid, senior option in the position.

Bastoni says YES to summer move

And according to a report in TEAMtalk one Liverpool target Alessandro Bastoni is willing to move.

The Inter Milan defender, 26, is under contract at San Siro until 2028 and it’s speculated that a fee of around £70m would be required to sign the Italy international.

“Alessandro Bastoni is very much open to a transfer this year,” the report reads.

It looks like Chelsea will also be in the market for Bastoni - a left-footed centre-back who can also play in a back three. Other players reported to be under consideration for a Liverpool role include Nico Schlotterbeck and Nathan Collins.

Bastoni has won two Serie A titles for the Nerazzurri since debuting in the 2019/20 season and has also helped his side reach two Champions League final. He was also a member of the Italy squad which won the 2020 UEFA European Championship at Wembley.