Liverpool face Marc Guehi transfer blow as Premier League rivals join race to sign Palace star

EXCLUSIVE: Liverpool might not be in pole position for Marc Guehi, with Pep Guardiola’s Man City now interested, if they can shift two defenders before the end of the transfer window

Man City will consider joining the battle for Marc Guehi – if centre backs Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake are sold this week.

Crystal Palace central defender Guehi is already a target for Liverpool, Tottenham and Barcelona and has only a year remaining on his contract.

And the Daily Star Sunday can reveal that the England defender, 25, is being discussed at The Etihad as a potential £35million target, if Pep Guardiola, who saw his team lose 2-0 at home to Spurs, loses Akanji and Ake from his squad.

Galatasaray want Akanji, 30, while Ake, also 30, is a target for Everton, who have already loaned Jack Grealish from City.

Their departures before the transfer window shuts a week on Monday would ramp up interest in Guehi.

And that would put City on a collision course with Liverpool, who’ve led the race for the Palace star.

Guardiola wants to trim his squad and wouldn’t be short of options if both Akanji and Ake leave, and the pacy Guehi is seen as having long-term value.

Guardiola left Ilkay Gundogan, also a target for Galatasaray and Akanji out of his squad yesterday. But he said: “I had to leave Rodri and Phil Foden out last week as we have many players.

“I must rotate. The next games it will be others who are left out. It is not more serious than that.”

The Catalan refused to blame keeper James Trafford, whose error allowed Joao Palhinha to make it 2-0 after Brennan Johnson’s opener.

Guardiola said: “James made a good first game last week and I decided to continue with him. When I take decisions early in the season people think this is the line-up.

“It was today I decided and it is what it is. We missed the simple things today but the effort and running was extraordinary and I have no doubts.

“We had a good pre-season and when we won at Wolves last week everyone said everything was fine. But I said last week we still work to do – and it’s the same after this defeat.

“We have to improve. Step by step until we make it click and make the good connections. Now we have seven days rest and then Brighton before the international break.”