Liverpool is less than a week away from returning to action. On Sunday, Arne Slot’s side will launch a 2025/26 campaign against Wembley’s Crystal Palace for the Community Shield.
The Curtain Razors of the season are hardly counted, but Liverpool offers a chance to set the tone for the term, allowing fans to see some of the new signatures on the competitive show.
Liverpool’s record signature Florian Whartz will sign for £100 million (add-ons will rise to UK record £116 million).
But Redman isn’t the only one that fans really want to do. Certainly, one of the afternoon subplots is Marc Guehi’s performance, with the Premier League champions having vested interests in the central defender.
Why Liverpool wants Mark Guech
Last month, Liverpool allowed Jarrell Kuanza to depart for Bayer Lebakusen on a £35 million deal. The 21-year-old was one of the club’s own, but he couldn’t find his footing in the slot system and leaving was due to his career.
However, his departure increased the need to bring about sophisticated talents like Guehi.
The 24-year-old has been a regular on three lions for the past year, and Liverpool has revealed to the palace that he wants to sign a contract as Guehi is entering the final year of his contract.
However, Newcastle United are also enthusiastic and reportedly wanting to snap him after a failed bid in 2024. The palace is at £50 million.
However, the news that Magpie is aiming at AC Milan’s centre-back Marick Tear is broken.
Guehi will be a dream on Slot’s side, but there is no certainty that he will join Liverpool or leave Selhurst Park this summer. If sports director Richard Hughes fails to put this on the line, the alternative options are at least lined up.
Liverpool has a set of alternatives to Mark Guech
According to Givemesport, Liverpool is keeping an eye on Brentford centre back Nathan Collins as Hughes continues to seek more defensive depth ahead of the new season.
However, bees do not want to engage in consultations with suitors as Thomas Frank prepares for their lives without the helm. Brentford signed Collins in 2023 from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a £23 million price.
Brentford wants to keep their star defenders, but they’ve seen how Liverpool can seduce players by letting their interests go out. This certainly keeps an eye on.
Why Liverpool wants to sign Nathan Collins
Republic of Ireland’s Skipper Collins has made 77 appearances in all Brentford tournaments since joining them two years ago, scoring four goals and providing six assists.
Last season in the Premier League, he was the only outfielder in the division to play every minute.
People in Brentford’s circle are believed to have gone under the radar at GTECH Community Stadium, and Collins, as talent scout Jacek Kulig said, is a “high quality centre-back” as he distributes tough challenges and steady creative passages evenly.
Worn by journalist Sam Tabtou as “future leader,” Collins brings a perfect blend of defensive capabilities on the field, bringing an impactful presence to the training ground, ensuring Liverpool maintains the level across all four aspects in the previous period.
And with this in mind, he may even serve as a slot dream to replace Guehi, who is described by one online analyst as “the best centre-back in England.”
Premier League 24/25 -Marc Guehi vs Nathan Collins | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (*per game) | Guehi | Collins |
Match (start) | 34 (34) | 38 (38) |
the goal | 3 | 2 |
assist | 2 | 3 |
touch* | 64.9 | 65.7 |
Pass completed | 84% | 86% |
A big opportunity | 5 | 3 |
Key Pass* | 0.5 | 0.3 |
Ball recovery* | 4.3 | 4.3 |
dribble* | 0.4 | 0.3 |
Tackle + Intercept* | 2.6 | 2.0 |
clearance* | 4.6 | 5.8 |
Duels (winning)* | 4.9 (59%) | 5.1 (61%) |
An error has occurred | 2 | 3 |
Data based on sofa score | ||
Strangely enough, Guehi and Collins ranked fairly similarly in the Premier League last season.
According to FBREF, Collins ranked in the top 4% of central backs in last year’s Premier League, with the top 3% of assists and the top 11% of Aviation Dale winning around 90.
With all this in mind, it is clear that Hughes and Anfield’s data analysts are targeting specific defensive profiles, and Collins could be a sharp alternative.
After all, he opposed the Liverpool frontline and proved himself capable with the Rip Learning Best.
This is the willingness to face this type of big game mentality and adversity, facing adversity that distinguishes Collins from the share of Premier League defenders. And in fact, Frank sent him out every minute of his recent campaign.
He is commanding the way he plays because it is the way Guehi wears on his sleeves, but he is not a talented advocate in the division and Liverpool was able to hit the jackpot by signing Collins instead.
Liverpool clearly wants to sign Guehi more than all other targets on the list, but if they fail to secure a quarry, Collins has exactly what Liverpool and Slots are looking for.