Marc Guehi shrugs off cancelled Liverpool move after scoring first England goal in 5-0 win over Serbia

Marc Guehi shrugged off a collapsed deadline-day transfer to Liverpool as he played the full 90 minutes, kept a clean sheet and scored his first England goal in the 5-0 victory over Serbia on Tuesday.

Asked about the aborted move after the match, the 25-year-old smiled and gave a three-word response: "It's been great." He added that joining up with the national squad had been straightforward, saying: "It's always easy coming here, we've got such a good group of players, good group of staff. We're working towards one goal, so it's really enjoyable and always good to be here."

The transfer saga unfolded on deadline day when Guehi sought a move from Crystal Palace to Liverpool, but Palace withdrew from the agreement in the closing hours of the window. Palace had expected to secure a replacement before allowing Guehi to leave and had been linked with Brazil defender Igor Julio on a season-long loan from Brighton. The process of completing the Liverpool move began only after Palace relayed that a replacement was imminent; the transfer was cancelled when the club concluded a left-sided centre back would not be in place in time.

Guehi, who has been in and out of the England squad under manager Thomas Tuchel, partnered Ezri Konsa at the heart of the defence in Belgrade. Konsa also scored his first international goal as the England back line contributed to a commanding win as the squad builds toward next summer's World Cup in North America.

Tuchel praised Guehi's performance and conduct during the international camp. "It's the example, it's the example of how the boys were in the camp," the manager said. "Exactly like this, they put their personal interests aside and he was the best team-mate possible. A fantastic performance, he was very strong for Crystal Palace and he showed it today on the pitch."

Guehi's goal and full appearance come amid renewed debate over his role in England's defence. The centre back has shown consistency for Crystal Palace this season and his international start against Serbia will figure in selection discussions as Tuchel evaluates options ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The cancellation of the Liverpool move leaves Guehi at Palace for the immediate term. Palace indicated it needed to secure a left-sided centre back before sanctioning Guehi's departure, a condition that was not met by the transfer deadline. Neither Club nor player made further public comment on next steps after the game.

England completed the rout in the second half as Tuchel's squad continued a run of positive results during the international window. Guehi's composed display and his first international goal underlined his contribution to both club and country amid one of the most eventful weeks of his career.