Atletico Madrid seek Liverpool transfer heartbreak as race for PL ace heats up

Atletico Madrid have entered the race for Liverpool target Marc Guehi

Liverpool’s pursuit of Marc Guéhi has hit a fresh obstacle, with Spanish giants Atletico Madrid now joining the race for the Crystal Palace defender. What was already shaping up to be one of the most competitive transfer chases of the summer has intensified further, and Liverpool suddenly find themselves competing not only with Premier League rivals, but with some of Europe’s biggest continental forces.

According to journalist Matteo Moretto, speaking on Radio Marca, Atletico have formally registered their interest in Guéhi, who is expected to leave Palace as a free agent next summer. Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and several other Premier League sides are already in the mix, but it is Liverpool who have been tracking him the longest. The timing of Atletico’s arrival could not be more problematic for the Reds.

Guéhi has grown into one of the Premier League’s most consistent and intelligent centre-backs, earning a regular place in the England squad while showing leadership and maturity beyond his years. The 25-year-old’s calmness in possession, awareness in tight spaces, and willingness to defend aggressively but cleanly have made him one of the division’s most coveted defensive talents. That profile is precisely what Liverpool need at a moment when their backline is showing clear signs of strain.

This season has exposed some uncomfortable truths at Anfield. Ibrahima Konaté, despite his immense potential, has struggled once again with form and fitness. His inability to remain available, coupled with costly lapses in concentration when he does play, has prevented him from becoming the defensive cornerstone Liverpool hoped he would be. Meanwhile, Virgil van Dijk, though still an authoritative presence, is no longer the flawless, untouchable defender he once was. His reading of the game remains elite, but the slow erosion of pace and explosiveness has made him more vulnerable in transitions than in previous years.

Liverpool cannot move forward without acknowledging the need for a defender who can eventually assume Van Dijk’s mantle while providing reliability that Konaté has not consistently offered. In that context, Guéhi presents one of the most appealing solutions on the market, that of a Premier League-proven, tactically mature, physically robust centre-half whose best years are ahead of him.

Atletico’s interest, then, is unwelcome news. Diego Simeone is in the middle of restructuring his defence, and Guéhi’s blend of composure and leadership makes him an ideal fit for Atletico’s famously disciplined and compact system. A free transfer only sweetens the appeal for a club that rarely spends recklessly. Meanwhile, Serie A behemoths Inter Milan are also monitoring him, though their involvement could depend on potential departures this summer.

For Liverpool, this is a moment that demands decisive action. The club cannot afford to watch another defensive target slip away due to hesitation or slow negotiations. With uncertainty surrounding the current core of defenders, and with the next phase of the team’s evolution under heavy scrutiny, securing a player of Guéhi’s calibre is no longer a luxury but a priority.

If Liverpool truly want to re-establish themselves among Europe’s elite, they must move swiftly. Because if Atletico Madrid get their way, the Reds may once again be left asking how a priority signing ended up strengthening a European rival instead of stabilising their own defence.