Former Liverpool star fears Marc Guehi will snub Liverpool

One of Liverpool’s main transfer targets can leave as a free agent in the summer, which Jason McAteer fears might lead to him choosing to join another club.

Marc Guehi has been on Liverpool’s wish list for a long time, and now the English centre-half seems set to leave Crystal Palace as a free agent in the summer. However, the former Liverpool star Jason McAteer fears he might end up somewhere else.

More than that, McAteer commented on Andy Robertson’s situation as the Scottish left back has been linked with a move to his boyhood club, Celtic.

Guehi should have been signed instead of Isak

Liverpool brought in Aleksander Isak this summer for around £120 million, but McAteer feels like the money would have been better spent elsewhere.

“Marc Guehi is 100% a player I would like at Liverpool, and I would have liked him to come in before Isak. I think once Ekitike was done, I think Liverpool needed to strengthen their squad elsewhere.”

“I don`t think the striker area was an area where they needed to spend £120 million. Listen, I get it. Players come around and you may just get one opportunity, because other teams would look at Isak thinking he could be a reinforcement in January getting their team over the line. So, you could have missed out on Isak, but they already had Ekitike. They already had Chiesa and many other options as well.”

“The defence needed to be strengthened, especially with Joe Gomez’s injury history as well. Guehi probably was available. They would have sold him at the right price, keeping in mind he is a free agent at the end of the season.”

The former midfielder points out the fact that being a free agent presents so many opportunities for Guehi, who can choose between every club in the world when the contract expires with Crystal Palace.

“Being a free agent brings everyone into the conversation. It brings Bayern Munich in, it brings Real Madrid, Barcelona and other clubs in as well. If Liverpool drop off, there is no guarantee that they will qualify for the Champions League and that could be one thing which Guehi wants when moving as a free agent.”

“It could also be a change of culture or something else. He might end up at Real Madrid and Guehi is a real talent who would go directly into the first team. It really is a concern that they missed out on him.”

In terms of his international responsibilities, Guehi will hopefully be fit enough to return for England on Sunday against Albania. The Three Lions are currently priced at 4/9 to win their final World Cup qualifier, and if you fancy them to get the job done, you can use our bet365 bonus code to back Tuchel’s men.

Sunderland ace could be the solution

Dan Ballard has had an incredible start to his Premier League life, and the centre-half is someone McAteer is looking at as a potential future Liverpool player.

“Daniel Ballard from Sunderland has had a fantastic start to his Premier League career. His performance against Arsenal was really mature. He might be in the conversation, but the longer he plays in the Premier League and the more matches he gets under his belt, he might cost £40-50 million. Just like Huijsen who went to Real Madrid. A lot of teams will be looking at him.”

McAteer also mentions Jarrad Branthwaite as a possible target following his own success on Merseyside.

“There is Jarrad Branthwaite at Everton as well. I know he is injured, but he will be back again. If he wants to leave Everton for Liverpool, I don`t know, but there are a lot of interesting defenders out there, but they are all under a contract, so Liverpool will have to spend a lot of money, and I am not sure if they will be given that money, having spent around £500 million this summer.”

Liverpool won’t stand in Andy Robertson’s way

Rumours have suggested that Andy Robertson could be on his way back to his boyhood club, and McAteer believes that the left back will be given the green light to go if he wants to move away; however, he expects Liverpool to offer him a new contract.

“It is a funny one with Andy Robertson and Liverpool, really. I think from how he has served Liverpool in his career, I think it will more be a case of Liverpool giving him the option. They won`t stand in his way if he wants a move to Celtic.”

“I am sure he will be offered a new deal, but obviously on different terms. Liverpool has come to the point where Man City were last season, where they have exhausted their team, really. Jurgen Klopp exhausted the team, but he had great success with Milner, Henderson, Lallana etc.”

“When Milner left, I worried for Liverpool. A lot of football goes on in the dressing room and on the training ground. Leaders are few and far between. Leadership today is talked about in different ways. You can lead by example, lead vocally and in all different ways.”

Robertson is needed for his leadership

Having played more than 350 matches for Liverpool, the Scotsman has established himself as a leader who the other players can look up to, and leaders are exactly what Liverpool are lacking, according to McAteer.

“I am studying leadership now, and I am still old school when it comes to leadership. I know the game has changed and I know footballers have changed. Their mindset has changed, but to have leadership qualities, you still need to be vocal. You need to upset people and point fingers. You need to be demanding. I played with some of the best leaders both on and off the pitch and something doesn`t change.”

“Before… If it wasn`t Milner, it would be Henderson. If not him, it would be Lallana or someone else. So, to come back to Andy Robertson, is playing a lot right now, because Liverpool need him and his experience, but especially because of his leadership qualities. I think Andy Robertson is needed at Liverpool right now for a lot of different reasons.”

“I think Liverpool lack that kind of leadership on the pitch. I know, certain people have been critical of Virgil van Dijk, and he does lead in a different way. He is still a big presence in the club and players look up to him.”

McAteer ends the interview by saying that Virgil van Dijk is struggling to find his level, which is why other players have to step up, hence why it would be ideal to keep Andy Robertson.

“He is still one of the best players Liverpool have had. But at times, you can`t just look at him for leadership. You need two or three more players. Van Dijk is having a bit of a bad time and he needs to look after himself. That is human nature. How can he point fingers at someone else if he is not playing well himself? So, he then falls down the pecking order.”

Andy Robertson never got his debut at Celtic, but now he has the chance to return to his boyhood club if all parties agree on a deal.

The 31-year-old was expected to have a smaller role this season as Milos Kerkez was brought in, but as the Hungarian has struggled to find his feet in the Premier League, Robertson has come back into the team as a starter.

Read more as Jason McAteer gives his thoughts on Liverpool's Premier League title hopes