Is This Why Liverpool Pulled Out?

Liverpool have missed out on Marc Guehi to Man City and it would not be a surprise if his huge wages were a reason why they opted not to sign him.

Guehi was agonisingly close to joining the Reds last summer, agreeing a £35 million move and undergoing a medical on deadline day.

Crystal Palace pulled out at the 11th hour, however, deciding they didn’t have time to find a suitable replacement, and he has stayed put for the time being.

He is now set to join Man City this month, however, with an initial £20 million deal agreed which could rise to around £30 million including add-ons, per talkSPORT.

Not only that, but the 25-year-old’s five-and-a-half-year deal at the Etihad will be worth£300,000 per weekwith his medical taking place on Sunday.

Marc Guehi’s wages: Where they would rank at Liverpool

Guehi’s eye-watering wages at City highlight the money they are willing to pay new signings compared to Liverpool, which always made them a threat in the race to sign him.

For the Reds to pay a player £300,000 per week, it would need to be a world-class individual capable of being a game-changing addition.

Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are Liverpool’s two highest earners after signing new deals last summer, taking home£480,000 a week(including bonuses) and£385,000 a weekrespectively.

Alexander Isak is next on the list, paid£300,000 a weekafter becoming the club’s most expensive signing in history.

So Guehi’s Man City salary would make him Liverpool’sjoint-third highest earner.

It is a blow for Liverpool to miss out on the Palace captain, considering he is arguably England’s best centre-back heading into the 2026 World Cup this summer.

But matching City’s wages would arguably be a reckless approach, rather than their measured one over the past decade, with other top-quality options out there.

It may not be until the end of the season that a new face comes in, but with so much onus on Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate staying fit a January addition would be welcome.