As a respected leader and captain for Palace, playfully referred to as "Uncle Marc" by his England team-mates because of his maturity and temperament, he fits into the culture Liverpool have fostered over this recent period of success.

Liverpool are closing in on two centre-backs in the form of Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi and Parma teenager Giovanni Leoni

Chelsea have shown interest in re-signing Guehi, who they sold back in 2021, but talkSPORT say they were deterred by Palace’s £40m valuation. For many that appears a surprising stance given the club’s need for defensive reinforcements, especially following Levi Colwill’s serious injury.