Not backing down - Liverpool to return for Guehi despite failed deadline transfer

The Eagles had accepted the champions' offer of £35 million plus a 10% sell-on clause for the England international. Guéhi had even completed his medical and the club had prepared a farewell video for their captain.

However, at the eleventh hour, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner intervened and halted the transfer. The reason for this was the Londoners' failure to sign Brazilian defender Igor from Brighton, who was lined up as Guéhi's replacement.

While Palace did manage to buy Jaydee Canvot from Toulouse, he is only 19, and Glasner believes he is not yet ready to adequately fill the void left by a player of Guéhi's calibre.

Reports even surfaced that the Austrian manager threatened the Palace board with his own resignation if he were to lose his captain. Glasner spoke with club chairman Steve Parish and then explained the situation to the player himself.

Although Guéhi was keen on the move to Liverpool, he reportedly understood the manager's reasoning and did not try to force the transfer through, confident that Liverpool would eventually secure his signature, albeit at a later date.

According to The Sun, via Sportal, Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona could join the race for Guéhi.

However, those at Anfield are confident they already have the player's word and that it is only a matter of time before he is playing for the Merseyside club.

It remains unclear whether the champions will attempt to sign Guéhi in January for an even lower fee or wait to acquire him on a free transfer next summer.

This will depend on several factors, including how the respective seasons of both clubs unfold.