Laporta wants to take a defender from Florentino, his contract is ending and they're going after him

One of the deals that collapsed at the last minute during this summer's transfer window is causing a domino effect that will pit Real Madrid against FC Barcelona. The directors of both clubs have closely followed the development of this failed signing and have now decided to take action.

According to reports from England, the agreement for the transfer of Marc Guéhi to Liverpool is said to have fallen through at the last minute. The Crystal Palace player has been forced to return to Selhurst Park, but now with the attention of the top rivals in the Spanish league regarding his signing.

Reports from The Sun warn that both the Madrid board and the top Barcelona executives are looking for a way to approach Marc Guéhi's camp during January 2026. The contractual situation of the Ivorian center-back has unsurprisingly aroused the curiosity of both Spanish squads.

Because Guéhi's contract with Crystal Palace ends in mid-2026: this could well be his last season with the glazier squad. The executives led by Florentino Pérez, known for seeking signings on a free transfer, are already discussing the relevance of this addition.

We'll see what happens

Especially considering the requests made by Xabi Alonso shortly after the Club World Cup. The experience in the United States showed the leader of the Madrid coaching staff the urgent need to add another center-back and a creative midfielder, preferably with a defensive profile. None of those signings ended up happening.

In its defense, the Madrid sporting management assures that it is defining the list of candidates to work on when the next summer transfer window opens. It would already be too late if Real Madrid truly desires the signing of Marc Guéhi.

Sources consulted by The Sun indicate that both Real Madrid and FC Barcelona intend to reach an agreement with Marc Guéhi. The signing of that pre-contract in January 2026, when he could negotiate with other clubs under the parameters of the Bosman law, would rule out the rest of the interested parties in his signing... including the rival of the Spanish squad that manages to secure the African defender's signature.

The arrival of Marc Guéhi would fit into the roadmap established from the Valdebebas offices. Not for nothing is one of the top priorities to strengthen the defense in light of the imminent departure of David Alaba and Antonio Rüdiger, whose contracts end at the same time. Ibrahima Konaté and Guéhi himself, according to The Sun, would be the chosen ones to replace them.