Crystal Palace are exploring a loan move for Joe Gomez as part of a deal involving Marc Guehi going the other way, but Liverpool would reject this.With Palace only considering selling Guehi if they can sign a replacement centre-half, the Eagles “have explored the prospect of bringing in Gomez on loan,” according to BBC Sport‘s Sami Mokbel.However, he reports that Liverpool would reject this offer despite it being “understood Palace would give serious consideration to accepting in the region of £30 million (for Guehi) with Gomez heading to London on loan.”The Times‘ Paul Joyce added that this is a “non-starter for Liverpool due to Gomez’s versatility.”With the window closing at 7pm (BST) on Monday, a deal for Guehi is looking increasingly unlikely to be struck, but journalist Danny Gallagher reports that Liverpool “are willing to take somewhat of a calculated risk and arrange a January deal for Guehi.”For the England international to make the switch before Monday night, Palace would have to advance quickly on their own defensive targets.Two centre-backs are being sought by the club, with talks for Toulouse’s Jaydee Canvot at an “advanced stage,” wrote Mokbel.Another defender is needed in addition, though, and they have approached Man City‘s Manuel Akanji who is reluctant to move at this point. The BBC reporter also explained: “Sporting defender Ousmane Diomande has been Palace’s first-choice target, but thus far they have been unable to afford the Ivory Coast international.“Roma’s Evan Ndicka is another defender Palace are understood to be interested in.”Sending Gomez on loan to open up a permanent move for Guehi seems logical for Liverpool, so it seems strange that this is not on the table.The 28-year-old’s versatility across the backline is cited as the reason to keep him, but Liverpool already have two right-backs, two left-backs and would have four centre-halves should they sign Guehi and sell Gomez.Perhaps it is Gomez’s experience and Arne Slot‘s will to keep in place some stalwarts of the squad that is behind the Reds’ motivation to keep him, following a difficult summer of tragedy and change in the playing department.