Thomas Tuchel publicly commended Marc Guéhi’s response after Crystal Palace refused to sanction the defender’s late move to Liverpool. Palace were unable to find an adequate replacement on deadline day and elected to keep Guéhi, who will be available on a free transfer next summer. The 25-year-old was reportedly furious at the decision, but his behaviour since has won praise.

Tuchel singled out Guéhi after England’s 5–0 win over Serbia, a match in which the centre back scored his first senior international goal. “It’s the example of how the boys were in this camp, exactly like this.” the German coach said after the game. “They put their personal interests aside.

“He was the best teammate possible and a fantastic performance. Very strong for Crystal Palace and showed it today on the pitch.”

Guéhi also provided an assist and helped England keep a clean sheet in Belgrade. He declined to dwell on transfer matters after the final whistle and celebrated opening his England account. “I’m just over the moon,” he said. “It’s a fantastic feeling. You work really hard growing up, so to score a goal for your country is the best feeling.

“It’s been great. It’s always easy coming here, such a good group of players, good group of staff. We are all working towards one goal.”

England’s victory ensured they kept a perfect record after five matches in Group K of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying, and moved seven points clear of second-placed Albania. For Palace the immediate consequence is the retention of a key defender for the remainder of the season, even as the club faces the prospect of losing him on a free transfer next summer. Tuchel’s public praise framed Guéhi’s performance as an example of club loyalty giving way to national team unity.

Liverpool have decided not to reopen talks to sign Crystal Palace centre back Marc Guéhi in January, sources say, even as uncertainty surrounds Ibrahima Konaté’s future at Anfield. Guéhi is in the final year of his contract and is not expected to sign a new deal with Palace. His club’s decision to block a previous move to Liverpool is believed to have left him frustrated.

Overseas clubs can approach Guéhi over a free transfer from January, with Barcelona and Real Madrid among the clubs touted as potential suitors. If Liverpool were to pursue him in the winter window they would again need to agree a fee with Palace, but The Times report that Liverpool have ruled out paying a transfer fee for a player who wants to join and is approaching the end of his contract. The club are said to prefer waiting until the summer to try to sign Guéhi on a free transfer.

The Telegraph add that within Anfield there is a sense some of the external speculation is aimed at pressuring Liverpool into action in January. The club’s stance mirrors the situation they face with Ibrahima Konaté. Konaté is also in the final year of his contract and attempts to secure an extension have so far been unsuccessful.

Konaté is a known target for Real Madrid and was asked whether Kylian Mbappé had been speaking to him about a move to the Santiago Bernabéu. “He calls me every two hours!” Konaté joked in an interview with Téléfoot, in which he also insisted he does not speak Spanish. Madrid, like Liverpool over Guéhi, are thought to be willing to wait until next summer to pursue Konaté on a free transfer, while the Reds remain frustrated by the loss of Trent Alexander-Arnold to the 15-time Champions League winners a few months ago.

England manager Thomas Tuchel has commended Marc Guéhi for his temperament after a proposed move to Liverpool fell through on Deadline Day.

The centre back had been understood to be close to joining Liverpool in the final hours of the summer window, but Crystal Palace withdrew from the deal when they could not identify a replacement in time. Guéhi remains under contract at Selhurst Park but is widely expected to depart by next summer when his deal expires.

Guéhi travelled with the England squad for the international double-header against Andorra and Serbia and, according to Tuchel, has shown no sign of disruption in camp. “We had a chat with him,” Tuchel told reporters on Friday. “He looks absolutely fine. Very impressive on the field. He’s the main driver of Palace’s success, captain and the leader. He’s continued this in camp [with England]. He handles it with respect and grace and a brilliant attitude.”

Tuchel’s assessment underlines that Guéhi has remained focused on his performances for club and country despite the uncertainty surrounding his future.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner had been public about the club’s stance before the deadline, emphasising the difficulty of finding an immediate replacement and the value Guéhi brings to the side. “I told the chairman we have to keep Marc if we want to play a successful season. We have no chance to find the right replacement in one day [before the transfer deadline]. We all agreed that we just sell Marc if we have the right replacement in the building,” Glasner told BBC Sport last weekend.

For now, the matter rests with Guéhi, Palace and any potential suitors. Tuchel’s comments reflect a view that the player has navigated the setback professionally and that his immediate attention remains on contributing in England colours and for his club while discussions about his longer-term future continue.