Plenty of Liverpool fans were pleasantly surprised when rumours broke that Marc Guehi was the club’s number one centre back target this summer to replace Jarell Quansah.The initial reaction from some was that Guehi wouldn’t leave Palace, in a World Cup season, just to sit on the bench. But it’s been reported that he’s been assured of regular minutes if he makes the move to Anfield.With Virgil van Dijk now 34, his game time may need to be managed a bit more carefully than in previous seasons, but he’ll still be the mainstay at the heart of the defence.So, if the move does happen, the big question is: who partners him?Is Guehi going to come straight in and jump ahead of Konate, who’s entering the final year of his contract and reportedly stalling on a new deal? Or will the Frenchman keep his spot and prove he’s still first choice next to the captain?We look at four areas that might help shape that decision. AvailabilityIt’s not the most exciting area to focus on, but it’s important. Being fit and available week in, week out is what allows players to build consistency and find rhythm.Since joining Liverpool in 2021, Konate has made 132 appearances. The 2024/25 season was his busiest yet, with 42 games in all competitions and over 22 league appearances for the first time.Still, across his four seasons at the club, he’s missed 45 matches through injury, practically a full season.Guehi, who arrived at Crystal Palace that same summer, has featured 155 times. He’s hit 40 or more appearances in three of the four seasons, with only 2023/24 affected by injury, missing 13 games.The Englishman has been the more consistent presence so far, which is something that’ll count in his favour when weighing up long-term reliability. Defensive workGuehi was more active in the Premier League last season, recording higher numbers for tackles, duels and recoveries. But when it comes to efficiency, Konate comes out on top.He won 65% of his tackles and 66.2% of his duels, ahead of Guehi’s respective 55.7% and 59.2%.It’s a similar story in the air; Konate won over 70% of his aerial duels, while Guehi managed just under 54%.For a team like Liverpool, where centre-backs are regularly asked to deal with long balls and direct transitions, that aerial dominance is a big plus. Van Dijk, for example, had a success rate of 72.1% when it came to aerial duels last season.Guehi did make more interceptions (28 vs. 17) and more recoveries (145 vs. 98), showing strong anticipation and an ability to read the game.That said, Palace spent more time defending deeper, which naturally gives centre-backs more chances to hit those numbers.At Liverpool, defenders are exposed less often, but the moments they do have to defend tend to be high stakes. Konate’s defensive output has shown he’s up to the task. On the ballIn possession, Konate again edges it. His forward pass accuracy was 78.1% compared to Guehi’s 44.5%, a big difference for players in teams trying to build from the back.Konate also carried the ball further and more frequently, showing more confidence stepping into midfield areas.Guehi did attempt more progressive passes (72.9 vs. 54.4), but the lower completion rate suggests a riskier, less controlled ‘hoof it’ style of distribution.That might work in a system where the aim is to play forward quickly and get the ball as far away from their goal as possible, but it doesn’t always translate to a team like Liverpool, who operate with both patience and precision when in possession.Overall, Konate looks the more natural fit in terms of both style and execution. He’s already shown he can play the way Arne Slot wants his team to, and if Guehi were to arrive, it’s likely he’d need time to adapt before hitting that level. Attacking threatIt might not be the first thing you look for in a centre-half, but at Liverpool, there’s a long tradition of defenders offering something at the other end.I grew up watching the likes of Sami Hyypia and Martin Skrtel power home headers five to six times a season, and now see Van Dijk doing the same. It’s become second nature to hear “Come on, Virgil lad!” ring around Anfield when the Reds win a corner.You don’t tend to hear the same for Konate, and the numbers probably explain why.Despite his physical presence and early promise, Konate has only modestly impacted the final third over his time at Liverpool. He scored three times in his first season, but since then has found the net just twice in the 2024/25 campaign, after going goalless in between.For all his size and athleticism, he’s yet to establish himself as a consistent goal threat.Guehi, by comparison, posted his best attacking return to date, scoring three Premier League goals for Crystal Palace last season.He had 13 shots inside the opposition box, with seven on target, a tidy record that suggests he makes the most of the chances that fall his way. Konate actually had more shots in the box (15), but managed to hit the target just once, pointing to a player who gets into good areas but doesn’t often make them count.Guehi isn’t a dominant aerial presence like Van Dijk, but he’s shown enough to suggest he can be a threat when the delivery is right.If he were to make the move to Anfield, it wouldn’t just be about stopping goals; there’s a bit of value in what he offers at the other end, too. The verdictKonate is the obvious fit, having impressed in his first season under Slot with his defensive solidity and familiarity with the system.But Guehi brings plenty of potential, he’s two years younger and an upgrade on Quansah.If Konate commits his future to Liverpool with a new contract, could this duo form the backbone of the defence once Virgil eventually moves on?Only time will tell, but either way, it is an exciting signing and a strong statement of intent if it gets over the line.