Marc Guehi's preferred next club as Liverpool and Newcastle eye £40m transfer

Marc Guehi is reportedly favouring a move to Liverpool over Newcastle this summer if he is to leave Crystal Palace. The defender has entered the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park and extending his stay does not appear to be in the offing at this stage.

Guehi has been linked with a host of top Premier League outfits over the past few years, with Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United all said to have shown interest previously. However, Newcastle are the side to have pushed the hardest to secure his signature overall, having several bids to secure his services knocked back in January.

However, the sale of Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen has prompted Liverpool to enter the market for a new centre-back and Guehi was quickly identified as their top target to provide an alternative option alongside Virgil van Dijk.

According to The Guardian, Palace are yet to receive any offers for their captain at this stage, but they would be willing to open talks over his sale if a bid in the region of £40million is tabled by any of his suitors.

Despite appearing to be running down his contract, Guehi is not pushing to leave the Eagles this summer and remains content with the idea of playing out the final 12 months of his deal at Selhurst Park.

But if Liverpool and Newcastle arrive with appropriate offers, his 'preferred option' would be a move to Merseyside over Tyneside. With Ibrahima Konate facing an uncertain future at Anfield due to contract extension negotiations stalling, Guehi may feel he has a chance to become a key player for the title holders almost instantly.

Liverpool are hoping to extend Konate's contract beyond next summer, but talks have not progressed and several top European clubs are monitoring his situation closely and have already looked to register an interest in acquiring his services next summer if he becomes a free agent.

Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are said to be leading the charge for Konate, and it remains to be seen whether their interest turns the head of the centre-back and prompts him to make it clear that he intends to depart at the end of next season.