Liverpool 'eye £140m double transfer' for Jarrad Branthwaite and another Prem star

Liverpool are reportedly setting their sights on a double defensive acquisition of Jarrad Branthwaite and Marc Guehi in the upcoming January transfer window.

Centre-back remains a key area for manager Arne Slot, with Liverpool said considering both Branthwaite and Guehi for the January window. Both players attracted attention this past summer following impressive performances at Everton and Crystal Palace respectively, but ultimately stayed put at their current clubs.

According to a recent report from GiveMeSport, defence is the area “in need of the biggest spend” come January, and Liverpool could “accelerate” their transfer plans by attempting to secure summer targets during the winter window if they remain in contention for the Premier League title.

Guehi is reported to potentially become a significant target for the Reds, with Branthwaite being the preferred choice of the two English defenders.

The price tag for each player could reach £70million, although Liverpool may ‘try their luck at a lower level’ as the players’ existing contracts run down.

Branthwaite and Guehi are securely contracted to their respective clubs, with the former until 2027 and the latter until 2026, providing especially a good position to negotiate for Guehi. Manchester United’s pursuit of Everton’s highly-rated centre-back ended in disappointment after two bids were snubbed, the second including a tempting £45million along with £5m in potential bonuses.

Similarly, Newcastle found no success in luring Guehi away from Crystal Palace despite four offers, with the highest reportedly reaching a hefty £65m plus additional incentives.

Liverpool’s end-of-window transfer business was a topic of discussion for Slot who expressed contentment with the club’s dealings: “Of course we are happy with the ones we signed because I said many times that it’s difficult for us to make the team even stronger because we already have a very strong team.

“And if we then find them, of course we are very happy with that. (Federico) Chiesa is someone who can help us for the short term and (Giorgi) Mamardashvili is, I think, one of the examples where this club did in the past very good that they look also at the future, long-term future of the club and that’s why we signed him.”