Liverpool held conversations with Crystal Palace about a movement for Marc Guehi – who will be out of contract next summer – but manager Oliver Glasner continued to play in the last two games of the team
Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi has set himself an ambitious goal to play football until he turns 40 while speculation continues over a move to Liverpool.
Guehi is one of the most sought after players in the Premier League after producing some impressive displays on the back for Palace in the past two seasons.
He was crucial in helping the Eagles to win their very first FA Cup trophy and now he could be set for a big switch to a club in the Champions League.
Liverpool has emerged as the most likely destination for the 25-year-old, because they want to find a long-term replacement for Virgil van Dijk. The conversations started between the clubs last week after they played against each other in the Community Shield.
Palace can be forced to sell the player to Liverpool or run the risk of losing him next summer on a free transfer with 12 months left over his deal.
Although his future remains insecure, Guehi has given an interview to BBC Sport, who asked him what his goals were for the future – and his answer should impress Liverpool fans.
“Play until I am 40. It is clear that winning trophies is great, playing in different matches, but I think that's the real proof of how professional someone is.
“It is clear that there will be injuries and that is always a shame, but God wants me to play so long in a sport that is so volatile.”
When asked if he tried to “stay young”, he replied, “Always. You have to. That is what we always try to do.”
Guehi was still selected by manager Oliver Glasner despite the interest in him, who played him in their 0-0 draw against Chelsea on the opening day and the 1-0 win over Fredrikstad in the UEFA Conference League.
Newcastle had rejected three bids last summer for Guehi – the largest total £ 60 million – while Arsenal, Tottenham and former Club Chelsea were also linked to signing the English center -back.
He started his career at Chelsea and joined the blues at the age of eight, before he signed for a permanent deal for Palace in 2021 for £ 18 million. He played a total of 127 times for the club and has since become a fixture for England.