Yes, he was keen to join the Premier League champions and, yes, there was disappointment when the £35 million transfer collapsed. But while Guehi has made it clear he will not sign a new contract at Selhurst Park, he remains optimistic about what lies ahead.
Suggestions that he is deeply aggravated by the failed switch don’t quite capture the full picture. Sources indicate Guehi always recognised there was a strong chance he would remain with the Eagles.
And he still knows he is going to make a significant transfer in 2026.
Liverpool are going to be one of the teams making a move for him.
As of right now the most likely scenario is that they attempt to sign him as a free agent in the summer but, of course, if scenarios change within Anfield they could yet move in January.
Guehi still wants that move but there will be other offers from clubs in both England and Spain. Chelsea, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona are among them, we understand.
For now, the player is ready to refocus on the season ahead.
We can reveal that on deadline day, most of the anxiety around the proposed transfer was always from Liverpool’s side.
Even as Palace and intermediaries tried to project confidence, Anfield officials felt uneasy about whether the deal was truly secure.
Palace needed a replacement before giving the green light - and that man was supposed to be Igor Julio. But the Brighton defender opted for West Ham instead, believing the London Stadium offered a clearer path to regular football.
When that move collapsed, Palace were left with little choice but to pull the plug on Guehi’s departure.
However, the idea that 25-year-old Guehi needs time to recover from this career blow seems to be misplaced.
He has been a proud leader at Palace and will continue to give everything to the club while he wears the shirt. If he wanted to agitate for a move, he could have - as other players in the Premier League did this summer. That simply is not his character.
Looking ahead, Guehi is still well-placed to secure a spot in England’s 2026 World Cup squad. If he stays at Palace through the season, he will enter next summer as a free agent, opening the door to a major move in England or abroad on even stronger personal terms.
Liverpool, for their part, are refusing to disappear from the picture - and they will remember how their pursuit of Virgil van Dijk also required patience and eventually proved to be one of the best transfers in their history.
So while this deal may have slipped away, Guehi can be reassured that his future remains bright.
In a game where impatience often rules, his ability to stay composed and keep perspective feels increasingly rare.
