Liverpool and Crystal Palace have agreed to a deal that will see Palace captain and England defender Marc Guehi make the switch to Liverpool on deadline day.
He was long seen as almost more important than signing Isak this summer when you looked at the Reds lack of depth in central defense.
The move for Guehi is the final piece in an incredible transfer window of world class additions that saw Richard Hughes fill every hole in the squad that anyone and everyone had a concern about, which is just outstanding business.
Guehi gave Palace one last dance on Sunday when he scored in their 3-0 thrashing of Aston Villa.
The Deal
Liverpool and Crystal Palace agreed to a £35m deal for the England international while there will also be a 10% sell-on clause should the Reds move him during his time with the club.
The Eagles were said to be looking for £40m, but with the player entering the final year of his contract, it was always going to be difficult for them to maximize their return, but this deal comes very close to a win-win for both clubs.
On the player side, he will be signing a five-year contract at Anfield that will take him right up to his 30th birthday.
He is undergoing a medical in London to make sure things get sorted out in plenty of time before the deadline comes through.
Once completed, this move will bring the summer spending for Liverpool to over £400 million. This spree has been supported by a slew of player sales as well as winning the Premier League title and agreeing to a very lucrative deal with Adidas.
The Final Piece
As I mentioned above, some would say getting a deal done for Guehi was more important to the success of Liverpool this season than signing Alexander Isak.
Ibrahima Konate had a much improved performance on Sunday against Arsenal, but he was off to a sluggish start and the rumors circling of a free move to Real Madrid next summer meant that Hughes and Co. wanted to be proactive.
If Konate stays, there is now a strong duo in Ibou and Guehi that could take the reigns from the legendary Virgil van Dijk in a few seasons time.
On the pitch, Guehi is a perfect fit for Arne Slot and his way of playing. He is strong and uses his body well and is underrated in aerial duels.
His passing range is closer to VVD than it is to Per Mertesacker, which means he can be trusted to play out of the back and spring a counter or two.
He reads the game very well, and as an FA Cup winning captain, he obviously brings leadership and composure to any squad he steps into. The fee is more than reasonable from a Liverpool perspective to sign a Premier league proven England international that will anchor the defense for years.