Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are all said to be ‘closely monitoring’ Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, according a report by Daily Mail.
The 23-year-old has enjoyed a brilliant campaign at Selhurst Park, which resulted in a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024 in which the player is already proving vital.
Guehi was important at the back as the Three Lions kept a clean sheet on their way to beating Serbia 1-0 in their opening fixture of the competition.
Crystal Palace are bracing for interest for his services, but the newspaper adds that the Eagles will ‘fight to keep’ the defender despite acknowledging that they will face a ‘major battle’ to do so.
One of the options they are open to is extending his contract with a release clause, a tactic that has helped them retain Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise in recent months.
If at all Guehi is hellbent on departing for a bigger club this summer, he will not ‘come cheaply’ as Palace will demand ‘at least £65 million’, as per Daily Mail.
Move unlikely?
Guehi was phenomenal in the 2023/24 season and if he ends up having a memorable Euro 2024 too, he will be more tempted to move on as a productive year may allow him to yield better pay elsewhere.
Crystal Palace could also consider raising funds with Guehi’s sale if indeed there is a big market for him in the transfer window, with a decision on his future expected after Euro 2024.
However, it is easier said than done as his cost will be a big deterrent for all concerned clubs due to the Premier League’s strict Financial Fair Play guidelines.
Given that he is priced close to Jarrad Branthwaite, Manchester United could opt to move for the Everton man rather than Guehi this year, whereas Tottenham may also pass as their priority is likely to be a striker.
Liverpool would consequently become the favourites to land Guehi but they also may not be ready to foot a higher price in comparison to Gonzalo Inacio’s release clause – which stands at £51 million.
With his three primary contenders already exploring cheaper options, Guehi’s best bet would be to stay with Crystal Palace for another year without renewing his contract.
In such a scenario, he would be able to join one of the league’s ‘top six’ in a discounted deal in 2025, 12 months prior to the expiry of his contract in 2026.
