The numbers that quietly ended Liverpool’s interest in Guehi – report

Liverpool’s decision not to pursue Guehi further now looks clearer after new financial details surrounding his move elsewhere emerged.

Ben Jacobs and Alex Crook reported on X that Marc Guehi will earn around £200,000 per week at Manchester City, placing him among the club’s top ten earners.

That single figure goes a long way towards explaining why we were prepared to wait, walk away, or ultimately lose control of the situation.

Guehi wages show where Liverpool drew the line

The England international had been close to joining us last summer, with a £35m deal agreed, a medical completed, and Palace initially prepared to sell.

However, while the transfer fee was acceptable, wages at that level would have placed the former Chelsea defender straight into Liverpool’s highest earners bracket.

That would have meant Guehi arriving on terms comparable to Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike, and not far below Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah.

To put the numbers into context, Capology data shows Liverpool’s current top wages sit within a far tighter structure than City’s.

Liverpool top wages (weekly):

• Salah – £400k
• Van Dijk – £350k
• Isak – £280k
• Gakpo – £250k
• Wirtz – £200k
• Ekitike – £200k

By contrast, City already carry 10 £200k-plus contracts, meaning Guehi’s arrival there fits an existing model rather than stretching one.

That reality explains why Liverpool were comfortable holding firm, even as the defender entered the final year of his contract.

Why Liverpool already had a Guehi alternative lined up

The frustration surrounding Guehi’s exit is understandable, particularly after Fabrizio Romano confirmed the defender’s move was done, but the wage context reframes the debate.

Liverpool’s recruitment team had already decided not to revisit the deal in January, preferring either a free transfer next summer or alternative options.

That thinking also explains why we have been monitoring Ousmane Diao closely, with the Senegalese centre-back viewed as a more sustainable solution both financially and structurally.

At 21, the FC Midtjylland defender fits the profile Liverpool have repeatedly targeted under the current regime, rather than stepping straight into the top wage tier.

This is also consistent with how we handled interest in Joe Gomez and managed the arrival of Giovanni Leoni, even with uncertainty around Ibou Konate’s contract situation.

Guehi’s wages may be entirely acceptable to some supporters, but Liverpool have made it clear time and again that squad building is about balance, not just talent.

Seen through that lens, the number now being reported explains why this one was allowed to slip – even if the outcome will still leave plenty wondering whether patience has once again been punished.

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