Contract renewal stalled! Mirror: Liverpool sees Hupa as an alternative to Gueye, Real Madrid, Blues and Inter Milan are also paying attention

According to the "Mirror" on October 23, Liverpool hopes to sign a central defender in the January transfer window. Although Mark Gueye is still the primary target, they are also considering other options in the market. Liverpool are reportedly considering Bayern Munich star Dayot Upamecano as a potential replacement for Marc Gueye.

The Reds failed to sign Gueye at the buzzer on the transfer deadline because Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish stopped the deal at the last minute. Gueye is furious that the deal fell through and will leave Crystal Palace in 2025 - either on a free transfer in the summer or for a transfer fee in January.

Liverpool remain favorites to sign the England international, with Arne Slott desperate to provide cover for Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, especially with Giovanni Leoni out long-term with a cruciate ligament injury. But the club is not only concerned about Guey, so it is also paying attention to the developments of other targets.

Similar to Guei's situation, Yu Pamecano's existing contract with Bayern will also expire on June 30, and the renewal negotiations have not made any progress. The France international has been with Bayern for more than four years, making 162 appearances for the club, but his time in Bavaria may be coming to an end.

According to German newspaper Bild, negotiations have reached a deadlock, with Pamecano demanding more favorable conditions before renewing his contract. He is said to be seeking an annual salary of 16 million euros plus a signing fee, and his agent Moussa Sissoko is aware that teammate Alphonso Davies received an annual salary of 17 million euros when he renewed his contract earlier this year.

Liverpool joins clubs such as Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Chelsea in monitoring the situation. However, it is understood that Upamecano is happy at Bayern and he is more using his position to fight for a new contract rather than actively seeking to leave the team.

Nevertheless, Bayern has determined that if they lose Pamecano, they will list Guei and Dortmund's Nico Schloterback as replacement targets. That means the futures of Gueye and Upamecano, two of Europe's top centre-backs - both of whom are on expiring contracts - could be linked.

At least Geyi's position is clear. "I think Mark has informed us that he will not be renewing his contract and therefore he will be leaving next year," Palace manager Oliver Glasner said on Friday.

"The club wanted him to stay and they offered Mark a new contract. But he said: 'No, I want to try a different path.' That's normal. For us, the key is how to deal with this situation? What is the best way to complete the next step? It all depends on how we communicate."

Although the summer window invested 450 million pounds in new players, Liverpool still has room for reinforcements in the January transfer window. The club has also been linked with Bournemouth striker Antoine Semenho, who is seen as a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah after suffering four consecutive defeats, so the direction of the team's recruitment priorities remains to be seen.