Liverpool’s hopes of signing Chelsea right-back Malo Gusto appear to have hit a significant roadblock, with the Premier League leaders reportedly unwilling to meet the Blues’ hefty £75 million valuation of the French defender.

Interest in the 22-year-old was first confirmed by Chelsea insider Simon Phillips on August 14, who also noted that Manchester City, now managed by former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, were also admirers. The pursuit gained further traction when reliable French journalist Fabrice Hawkins reported that Liverpool made a late push to sign Gusto on loan before the transfer deadline. However, the attempt ultimately failed due to a fundamental disagreement over the structure of the deal.

According to Hawkins, Liverpool were only willing to consider a loan with no mandatory buy clause, while Chelsea were insistent on a permanent transfer. The report bluntly stated that Liverpool “simply don’t have the financial means to make a permanent deal happen.”

This assessment was echoed by Football Insider, who reported that Liverpool were “priced out” of a move for the French full-back on deadline day. The clubs could not agree on terms, with Liverpool pushing for a loan with an option to buy, and Chelsea holding out for an outright sale or a loan with an obligation to purchase.

Transfer reporter Pete O’Rourke suggested that Liverpool are unlikely to meet Gusto’s £75m valuation in the January window either. “I think it was more a late query to see if there’s any chance of Chelsea allowing Gusto to leave, but I think Liverpool were looking to do a loan deal with maybe an option to buy,” O’Rourke said. He added that Chelsea’s preference for a permanent sale, whether immediate or with a mandatory future fee, was something Liverpool were unwilling to agree to.

O’Rourke concluded that Chelsea’s price tag was “prohibitive” not just for Liverpool, but also for Manchester City, who showed early interest. He stated, “I can’t see anybody willing to pay that £75million valuation that Chelsea had on Gusto’s head in January either.”

The interest in Gusto comes as Liverpool continue to search for a long-term successor to Trent Alexander-Arnold. The club spent £29.5m on Jeremie Frimpong in May 2025, but the Dutchman has yet to prove he can fill the role. Conor Bradley is also sidelined after undergoing knee surgery in January and may not return to match fitness until the new year. While Liverpool signed Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona, he is more of a centre-back than a specialist right-back. These factors mean midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai may once again have to deputise on the right side of defence.

While Liverpool supporters will hope the club addresses these issues with a new right-back in January, a move for Malo Gusto appears to be a non-starter given Chelsea’s firm stance on his valuation.