Liverpool’s deadline-day move for Chelsea defender Malo Gusto collapses

Liverpool needed a right-back. Chelsea had one they wanted. The two clubs simply could not agree on the terms, and when September 1 ran out, so did the deal.

Liverpool’s attempt to sign Chelsea defender Malo Gusto on a deadline-day loan fell apart after Chelsea, under manager Xabi Alonso, refused to let the 23-year-old leave on anything less than a permanent transfer. Liverpool had no intention of committing to a full purchase at Chelsea’s reported valuation of around £75M, so the French full-back stayed exactly where he was.

Why Liverpool wanted Gusto so badly

Liverpool’s first-choice right-back Conor Bradley suffered a long-term knee injury, leaving a genuine gap in Arne Slot’s defensive options heading into the 2026-27 campaign.

The 23-year-old has spent three seasons at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea signed him from Lyon in 2023 for €35M (roughly £30.7M at the time). That fee already looks like a bargain now, with Chelsea placing a valuation more than double that figure on any permanent deal. He started both of Chelsea’s opening Premier League matches this season. Liverpool came in with a straightforward loan proposal, no obligation to buy attached. Chelsea said no.

A summer of patchy business at Anfield

The club did bring in reinforcements. Jeremy Jacquet, Victor Munoz, Ronald Araujo, and Bradley Barcola all arrived to add depth and quality across the squad.

The summer also saw Curtis Jones depart, and Liverpool opted not to replace him in midfield. The decision to give those minutes to Trey Nyoni instead suggests the club was comfortable enough with what they had further forward.

Chelsea holds all the leverage going forward

The £75M figure Chelsea had in mind is worth pausing on. That number first surfaced during earlier interest from Manchester City, which suggests Chelsea has been field-testing a premium price for a while. Liverpool’s loan approach was never going to clear that bar.

Gusto is now entering his fourth season with the club. At 23, he is approaching the years where a player either becomes a long-term fixture or attracts the kind of summer attention that forces a club’s hand. The fact that Alonso publicly stressed his importance to the squad suggests there are no plans to revisit this in January, either.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.