Newcastle United will be aiming to bolster their defence this summer, and Marc Geuhi is still earmarked as a target.

The Crystal Palace defender has been on the club’s radar for a while now, and, with his contract set to expire next year, Eddie Howe may look to strike a deal to bring him to the club.

A recent report states that the Toon might be able to strike a deal worth £40m to sign Guehi this summer, given his contract status.

With other interest in him from elsewhere, however, might Howe target an alternative?

Newcastle could target a move for Liverpool defender

While Guehi has been a target for the Magpies for quite some time now, it looks as though he could perhaps miss the boat.

According to The Chronicle, Liverpool centre-back Jarell Quansah is a player who remains on the club’s radar this summer, as they look to bolster their defensive options.

Although the Anfield side won the Premier League title last term, the Englishman played a bit-part role in the success and could move on to pastures new.

He is also attracting interest from Bayer Leverkusen, with Erik ten Hag looking to launch a bid worth around £40m for the Liverpool starlet this summer.

While Guehi remains one of the players that Howe is desperate to bring to Newcastle, the window is getting shorter for this move to happen.

Could he perhaps strike a deal to bring Quansah north instead? Only time will tell.

Why Newcastle must sign Jarell Quansah

There is no doubt that Guehi is heading into the peak years of his career. He will turn 25 next month and helped Palace win the FA Cup just last month.

Quansah, on the other hand, just turned 22 earlier this year and still has plenty of years left before he hits his peak, which is why he could be a dream alternative to the Eagles star.

As you can see in the table above, the England U21 international has the potential to offer more than Guehi from a defensive perspective, as he won a higher percentage of his duels and averaged more tackles and interceptions per 90 in the Premier League.

Under Jürgen Klopp, the defender made 17 league appearances throughout the 2023/24 campaign. He suitably impressed, finishing the season with an 89% pass success rate while winning 64% of his total duels contested and losing possession just 8.4 times per game.

When compared to his peers in the top flight that season, Quansah also ranked in the top 11% for aerial duels won per 90 (3.4) and in the top 3% for non-penalty goals (0.15) per 90.

It was perhaps no wonder that he was dubbed an “absolute monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig that season for his performances. He hasn’t quite settled into Arne Slot’s side during the Dutchman’s maiden season at Anfield, however.

The defender was restricted to just 25 appearances during 2024/25, with only 13 of those coming in the starting XI.

Does he need a fresh start to fulfil his potential? Newcastle would be the perfect place for him to gain regular gametime.

With Champions League football on the horizon, Quansah could become a regular under Howe at the Magpies as a dream alternative to Guehi this summer.