Deadline-day domino falls the wrong way
A fee was agreed, medicals were happening, and then the whole thing flipped. Liverpool’s push to sign Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi for around £35 million crashed on deadline day after Palace’s plan to bring in Brighton’s Igor Julio on loan collapsed at the last moment. Igor didn’t land in South London—he went to West Ham instead—leaving Palace without cover and slamming the door on Guehi’s exit.
Oliver Glasner had been clear for weeks: no sale without a replacement. Palace moved quickly for Igor, who even underwent a medical ahead of a proposed loan. But as the clock ticked down, the move broke apart and West Ham completed a deal for the Brazilian defender. With the safety net gone, Palace chairman Steve Parish stayed firm and kept his captain in place.
Here’s how it unraveled:
- Liverpool agreed a £35m fee with Palace for Guehi.
- Palace lined up Brighton’s Igor Julio on loan as the plug-and-play replacement.
- Igor completed a medical at Palace—but the loan collapsed late on.
- West Ham stepped in and signed Igor, leaving Palace out of options.
- With no cover secured, Palace blocked Guehi’s move to Anfield.
The chain reaction shows how fragile deadline-day deals are. One deal wobbles and the rest fall over. Palace had little appetite for risk: lose their captain now with no incoming center-back, and they’d be gambling the stability of their back line for the rest of the season.
The decision also reflects Glasner’s setup. Palace’s defensive shape relies on leadership and cohesion, and that’s not easily replaced mid-window. Joachim Andersen and Chris Richards can share minutes, but taking the captain out without a like-for-like addition was a line the club wouldn’t cross.
What it means for Palace, Liverpool, and the January picture
Keeping Guehi is both a win and a warning for Palace. They retain their leader for the run-in, but the clock is ticking. The 25-year-old has one year left on his contract and isn’t entertaining an extension. That puts Palace in a bind: either secure a sale with a replacement lined up in January or risk losing him for nothing in the summer.
From January 1, foreign clubs can approach Guehi directly and agree a pre-contract under Bosman rules. That’s why the links to Real Madrid and Barcelona matter. For those clubs, an England international center-back available for free in the summer is rare value. English clubs can’t make the same pre-contract move, which tilts the leverage toward Europe.
Palace do have options. They could reopen talks with Guehi’s camp and explore a short extension with a release clause to protect value. They could also prepare a sale in January, but that means getting a replacement lined up early—something they were unable to do this week. Missing out on Igor shows how competitive and unforgiving the center-back market is, especially when injuries and fixture congestion push demand up across the league.
For Liverpool, it’s a setback rather than a crisis. Arne Slot wanted another reliable center-back to deepen competition and cover the load across domestic and European fixtures. Van Dijk, Konaté, Jarell Quansah, and Joe Gomez give him four options, but the club clearly felt another high-level addition would reduce risk and raise the ceiling. Guehi’s profile—Premier League proven, comfortable defending space, calm on the ball—was a tidy fit.
Could Liverpool revisit this in January? Possibly, but several variables complicate it. If Guehi can agree a pre-contract with a European giant, the price of a mid-season deal rises. Palace will only consider a sale if they’ve secured a replacement, and January is a tough window for that. Liverpool might decide to hold fire, back their current four, and reassess next summer when more targets are available and prices are less volatile.
West Ham’s role shouldn’t be ignored here. By landing Igor, they solved their own defensive need and unintentionally scuppered Palace’s plan. That’s the domino effect in action: clubs with similar needs chasing a short supply of viable options, all while the clock is ticking. Once Igor veered to the London Stadium, Palace ran out of road.
Supporters on both sides will feel mixed emotions. Palace fans get another season of their captain marshalling the defense, but the prospect of losing him for free looms large. Liverpool fans will be frustrated after seeing a clear target slip away, but the squad isn’t short on center-backs and the club rarely panics after a near-miss.
The next flashpoint is January. Palace will try again to find cover before making any decision on Guehi’s future. European clubs will circle as the pre-contract window opens. And Liverpool will weigh whether to re-enter the market or stick with what they’ve got. One collapse on deadline day has set up months of maneuvering ahead.
