In 34 days, Crystal Palace captain Marc Guhi will be free to move to a European club when his contract expires on June 30.
The 25-year-old can sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club when the winter transfer window opens on January 1, 2026.
Liverpool missed the chance to sign the England centre-back for £35million in the summer. The transfer saga, which lasted throughout the window, ended when Palace were unable to sign a suitable replacement – a decision prompted by manager Oliver Glasner.
This meant the south London club missed out on a significant fee for the defender with only a year left on his contract, but retained their talisman after losing Eberechi Eze to Arsenal a week earlier.
Liverpool are keen to revive their search, although there is no guarantee a move will be successful.
The defender now has other options and it is understood Europe’s top clubs have already registered interest.
However, Guhi is not the only high-profile centre-back who could be available on a free transfer next summer.
Liverpool’s own Ibrahima Konate has also been linked with a move to Real Madrid at the end of his contract, potentially following in the footsteps of former defensive partner Trent Alexander-Arnold.
However, despite reports on Friday morning that Real Madrid have ended their apparent pursuit, BBC Sport are not aware of any concrete interest.
His uncertain future has been widely cited as a factor in his poor form.
Real Madrid could lose defenders Antonio Rudiger, 32, and David Alaba, 33, this summer as both are set to enter the final seven months of their contracts.
This leaves Guéhi and Dayot Upamecano as options if they were to enter the free market to strengthen at centre-back – a tactic they have used several times in recent seasons.
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