Tottenham Hotspur-linked Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi is set to be available for €20m in January
Oliver Glasner has lately praised Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish for not selling Marc Guehi to Liverpool on summer transfer deadline day.
Crystal Palace had agreed a £35m fee with Liverpool for Marc Guehi, who completed the first part of his medical in hope of the move, but Steve Parish extraordinarily pulled the plug in the 11th hour after failing to land an adequate replacement. The England international was disappointed about his move to Anfield collapsing on the deadline day, but the matter appears to have been settled internally.
TalkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino recently praised the centre-back’s professionalism after his big move to Liverpool did not happen. Guehi will be able to strike a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs from January 1 as his contract with the Eagles expires at the end of the season. Liverpool are expected to be back for the 25-year-old’s signature next year, but we might see new avenues open for the player as well.
Crystal Palace skipper to be available for cut-price deal in January
Tottenham were among the clubs interested in signing Guehi in the summer, having failed to land him during the January transfer window. The defender’s failed Liverpool move should give Spurs an opportunity to test Palace’s resolve in the next transfer window.
Now, according to a report from Spanish outlet Fichajes, Guehi is set to be available for just €20m when the transfer window reopens in January. Given his situation, Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid have also entered the mix.
At 25, Guehi has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League. He has been class for England as well and further demonstrated it in the recent international break. A defender of his quality, experience, leadership and international knowhow at just €20m would represent an absolute bargain that neither of the top European clubs would want to miss out on.
The report adds Barcelona view the Palace star’s addition as a ‘strategic’ move, with their sporting director Deco working on different ‘formulas’ to balance the books and find a way to incorporate Guehi into Hansi Flick’s squad. Liverpool want him to bolster their backline, while Real Madrid view the Abidjan-born talent as a ‘future alternative’.
Tough deal for Tottenham to pull off?
None of the aforementioned European giants would want to miss out on Guehi’s services. Whether the trio go for the English central defender in January or wait for him to run down the last year of his contract and potentially sign him on a free transfer in the summer of 2026 remains to be seen.
As for Tottenham, it has become even more challenging to sign Guehi now. The ex-Chelsea man’s future is clearly at an elite European level, so the Lilywhites face an uphill task to lure him to N17 with a compelling project. As the likes of Liverpool, Barcelona and Real Madrid are miles ahead in terms of project, cash flow, luxury and European heritage, it is tough to see us land Palace’s defensive wall.
Nonetheless, our club chiefs must give their best to strike a January deal with the Eagles.