Liverpool are exploring a potential double swoop for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo and Crystal Palace captain Marc Guéhi, with the total outlay for the pair estimated between £80 million and £100 million. Reports from Empire of the Kop suggest the Merseyside club is leading the race alongside Newcastle for Mbeumo, 25, who is valued by the Bees at approximately £50 million. Meanwhile, Liverpool continue to monitor 24-year-old centre-back Guéhi, whose contract situation at Selhurst Park has reached a critical juncture as he enters the final year of his deal in the 2025/26 season.
Contract status drives Marc Guéhi market value
The pursuit of Guéhi follows a collapsed £35 million agreement between Liverpool and Crystal Palace in September 2024, which failed to materialise after Palace were unable to secure a replacement. According to Sky Sports, the defender’s approaching contract expiry increases the likelihood of a cut-price departure this January or a free transfer next summer. However, competition is stiff; Manchester City reportedly moved ahead of the Reds with a £20 million winter bid to address their own injury concerns. As reported by The Times, City offered Guéhi wages of £300,000 a week—a figure Liverpool were understood to be unwilling to match during the winter window.
Bryan Mbeumo and the post-Salah succession plan
Liverpool’s interest in Mbeumo aligns with a strategic need to bolster their attacking options as Mohamed Salah’s contract enters its final months. Since the departure of Ivan Toney, Mbeumo has become Brentford’s primary attacking threat, prompting manager Thomas Frank to admit the Cameroon international is destined for a "top club." To protect his market value, Brentford are expected to trigger a one-year extension clause in his contract, ensuring they can demand at least £50 million. This tactical shift toward high-output wide players follows Liverpool’s significant recent investment under Arne Slot, including the acquisitions of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, as the club transitions away from its previous defensive and midfield hierarchies.