Premier League title races always have those little moments that are singular but impactful. It could be a transfer, an injury, a quote in a press conference or even something as minor as a substitution.
Have we already seen one this season in the Deadline Day saga involving Brighton’s SIXTH-CHOICE centre-back?
Igor Julio went into this summer transfer window knowing he was surplus to requirements. Brighton signed two centre-backs in Olivier Boscagli and Diego Coppola early in the window and with Lewis Dunk, Jan Paul van Hecke and Adam Webster already in the building, the Brazilian was a long way down in Fabian Hurzeler’s thoughts.
But Crystal Palace came calling on Deadline Day and that move was set to have huge consequences at the top of the table. Eagles captain Marc Guehi was the subject of a late bid from Liverpool and while Palace were keen to accept the £35m offer from the Premier League champions, the deal hinged on Palace getting a suitable number of replacements.
Igor was in talks to sign for Palace, with centre-back Jaydee Canvot also moving to Selhurst Park on Deadline Day. With Guehi given permission to undergo a medical with Liverpool, everything looked set to go ahead as normal.
Enter West Ham.
The Hammers had a long-term interest in Igor but at the start of Deadline Day, that interest was not acted upon and the Brighton defender was set for Selhurst Park. But an afternoon twist saw West Ham come back into the mix, causing Igor to perform a U-turn.
With Palace unable to sign Igor, the Guehi moved itself collapsed and Liverpool missed out on one of their key targets in the summer transfer window.
So where does it leave Liverpool, Palace and the Premier League title race?
How Sky Sports News reported the Igor Deadline Day developments…
9.46am – Crystal Palace are close to an agreement with Brighton over Igor Julio for a loan with an option to buy at the end of this season. West Ham were interested – but Palace seems his most likely destination.
12.58pm – Liverpool prepare a medical for Marc Guehi, with Igor understood to be the Palace captain’s replacement at Selhurst Park. But there are concerns that West Ham may hijack the Igor deal.
1.17pm – Igor undergoes a medical at Crystal Palace alongside another defender in Jaydee Canvot. Palace manager Oliver Glasner also wants Palace to sign AC Milan’s Strahinja Pavlovic but talks are not progressing.
2.42pm: West Ham step up their interest in Igor, putting Guehi’s Liverpool move into more doubt.
4.44pm – Igor is now not going to Palace, with West Ham now firmly in talks with Brighton and the player. Guehi is yet to be called back from his Palace medical.
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4.49pm – Igor travels from Palace to West Ham to have a medical with the Hammers.
5.14pm: Palace start exploring a deal for AC Milan defender Pavlovic but there are just two hours of the window remaining.
7pm: As Palace announce the £20.8m signing of Canvot, West Ham submit a deal to allow them more time to complete the Igor deal. Liverpool also submit a deal sheet for Guehi.
7.47pm: Guehi’s move to Liverpool is called off due to Igor’s collapsed deal and extensive discussions between Palace chairman Steve Parish and Glasner.
10pm: West Ham announce Igor as their Deadline Day signing.
Why did Igor change his mind?
Igor holds up a West Ham shirt after his signing was announced
Leaving his Palace medical to sign for West Ham was an interesting decision from Igor.
The Brazilian defender was handed the chance to play European football with Palace this season but instead moved to West Ham, who have endured a difficult start to the season under Graham Potter.
However, it is understood Igor pulled out of the Palace deal because he was concerned about his game time at Selhurst Park.
That was because Palace were also signing other central defenders, with Canvot completing his move and talks taking place over Pavlovic.
Had Igor arrived and Guehi departed Selhurst Park, the Brazilian would have been competing alongside Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix and Canvot – while Jefferson Lerma has also turned out as a centre-back for Palace over the last year.
Where does this leave Liverpool defensively?
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It was commonly accepted that Liverpool needed a new centre-back this summer. Ibrahima Konate’s own deal runs out in less than a year’s time, with talk of interest from Real Madrid, while the other regular option in that position in captain Virgil van Dijk has just turned 34.
«Liverpool did need a centre-back,» admitted Jamie Carragher on Tuesday. «What Guehi would have done was give Liverpool three centre-backs for two positions – and create real competition, certainly for Konate.»
It now leaves Liverpool with four centre-back options. Konate, Van Dijk plus back-up options Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni – the 18-year-old signing from Parma earlier in the window.
Liverpool have full faith in that quartet – at least for the first half of the season – while there are emergency options in Wataru Endo, Andy Robertson and Ryan Gravenberch being able to fill in at times.
But as Carragher adds: «Liverpool have the numbers at centre-back. It’s just a question of whether they have the quality.»
Both are valid points as they bid to defend their Premier League title. Konate – who has started the season in questionable form – limped out of their 1-0 win over Arsenal to be replaced by Gomez.
The French defender insisted it was just cramp, but it highlighted how close Liverpool are to having to rely on their back-up or makeshift options in the event of one setback.
What about Palace?
Palace, meanwhile, remain in a strong position in terms of squad depth in central defence.
Guehi is now added to the above list of centre-back options, with Palace set to balance Premier League football with additional Europa Conference League games from next month.
Palace’s decision to block the Guehi move will also make Glasner happy. Before Monday’s Deadline Day, Glasner claimed Guehi had to stay at Selhurst Park as he was deemed irreplaceable.
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It does, however, mean that Palace miss out on the £35m fee they would have earned now for the sale of Guehi, but they get to keep him for the time being.
He could be sold once the January transfer window opens, but Palace can expect a much smaller fee for him at that stage, and Guehi will then be free to negotiate and potentially sign a pre-contract agreement with clubs abroad.
It is, of course, possible that Guehi signs a new contract at Selhurst Park – but he has indicated to this point that he does not want to do that.
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