Chelsea have reportedly started pushing to sign Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi ahead of Liverpool, as per Spanish outlet Fichajes.
Since joining the Eagles from the Blues back in 2021, the Englishman has established himself as one of the best defenders in the Premier League over the years.
He guided Crystal Palace to win the FA Cup at the end of last season and helped them win the Community Shield at the start of this campaign. On the other hand, having showcased his qualities in Selhurst Park, he has secured his place in the England national team’s starting XI.
The 25-year-old’s future was a subject of speculation in the recently concluded summer window, and he was on the verge of joining Liverpool. However, Oliver Glasner’s side eventually blocked the move as they couldn’t find a suitable replacement.
Now, Fichajes state that Arsenal, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester City are interested in signing Guehi for free next summer. However, Liverpool are still the frontrunner to secure his services.
Chelsea are also in this race and have started to ‘push’ to persuade the player to return to Stamford Bridge, aiming to beat the Merseyside club and other competitors.
Guehi to Chelsea
Chelsea don’t want him in January and are willing to wait until next summer to sign him as a free agent, with the player valued at around £39m by Transfermarkt.
Chelsea currently have Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Jorrel Hato, Josh Acheampong, Benoit Badiashile, and Axel Disasi as options for the centre-back position.
However, Disasi has been out of Enzo Maresca’s long-term plan, while Badiashile has been out injured. Fofana has struggled with injury problems in recent years, and Acheampong is still very young and needs time to develop his career.
Colwill, on the other hand, has sustained a serious knee injury and is set to remain sidelined for an extended period. Therefore, Maresca is willing to buy a new centre-back, and Guehi would be a great coup if Chelsea sign him, as he is a Premier League-proven player.
However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the West London club can eventually manage to get the deal done by defeating Liverpool and other clubs in this race.
