Liverpool targeting two defenders with same name as Premier League champions consider Marc Guehi alternatives

Liverpool v Crystal Palace - Carabao Cup Fourth Round

Liverpool are keen to strengthen their backline and are scouting two defenders with the same name as Arne Slot considers them as Marc Guehi alternatives. The Reds' pursuit of the England international collapsed in the dying moments of the summer transfer window, and several questions were raised regarding their transfer strategy after they missed out on their primary centre-back target.

Marc Guehi

How the Guehi deal unravelled

For months, Liverpool believed they were edging closer to securing the Crystal Palace captain, a player Slot considered central to the club’s long-term defensive rebuild. Guehi had reportedly settled personal terms and completed early parts of his medical. The move looked set to go through until Palace abruptly pulled the plug, as they were unable to secure a replacement before the deadline. The refusal to ratify the paperwork, despite Liverpool submitting the deal sheet in time, left the Merseyside club high and dry. They signed Giovanni Leoni from Parma for a fee of around £26m, but his season-ending ACL injury further complicated matters. Instead of easing pressure, the failure to land Guehi ushered Liverpool into a campaign reliant on a smaller and more fragile pool of centre-backs, with club captain Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez the only options.

Liverpool are scouting the Ordonez duo

The Daily Mail reports that Guehi remains a name firmly on the club’s radar, but no meaningful progress has been made on reviving the transfer in January. However, they have begun to explore alternative profiles. Joel Ordoñez of Club Brugge has been monitored extensively, with Liverpool scouts impressed by his physicality and tactical intelligence. The Ecuadorian defender has risen quickly in Belgium and is deemed by several clubs to possess the raw tools needed to develop into a top-tier modern centre-back. But he is not the only Ordonez on Liverpool’s list.

Deinner Ordonez, a rising star at Independiente del Valle, the Ecuadorian academy responsible for producing talents such as Moises Caicedo, Piero Hincapie and Kendry Paez, is also being tracked. While he is viewed as a long-term project rather than an immediate first-team candidate, youth scouts have privately described him as arguably the best player in his entire age group across South America.

Real Madrid pull away from Guehi chase

Liverpool’s position in the race for Guehi may have strengthened in recent days after Real Madrid effectively withdrew from negotiations. Spanish outlet AS reports that the defender’s wage expectations and signing-on bonus demands have made the deal “virtually impossible” for the Spanish giants. The 25-year-old has just over six months left on his contract and is widely expected to leave Selhurst Park at the end of the season, having declined multiple renewal offers. Palace are resigned to losing their captain but have no intention of accepting a cut-price January fee, meaning the player is likely to walk away for free next summer.

Real had been monitoring Guehi as a potential long-term replacement in their defensive core, as both David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger are likely to leave the club in 2026. Los Blancos were impressed by his Premier League consistency and England pedigree. However, Guehi’s camp reportedly sought a sizeable increase in wages alongside a substantial signing bonus, which Madrid felt would breach the club’s strict financial structure.

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Bayern and Barcelona circle as Liverpool weigh next steps

Madrid’s withdrawal leaves Liverpool and Bayern Munich as the two most credible contenders for the England international. Barcelona have also positioned themselves as a serious future suitor. The continental giants can sign a pre-agreement with Guehi in January, which is a significant advantage for them. If Liverpool fails again in their attempt to secure Guehi, the club will be forced to turn toward their wider list of elite defensive targets. Alessandro Bastoni, Nico Schlotterbeck and Willian Pacho are all being monitored, but each represents a significantly more expensive and complex pursuit. They have already spent £446m, the most ever spent by a Premier League club in a single window, last summer, and it remains to be seen whether they will splash serious cash once again in 2026.