Crystal Palace ‘working on deal to replace Marc Guehi’ after Liverpool reveal
Crystal Palace are putting plans in place to sign a replacement for Marc Guehi amid a growing expectation that he will leave in the summer.
That is according to former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that the Eagles are putting together a shortlist of options in his position.
Guehi, 24, is out of contract at the end of next season and the summer is seen as Palace’s final opportunity to make a significant profit from his sale.
This comes after Football Insider exclusively revealed on 4 February that Liverpool and Arsenal have joined Tottenham, Chelsea and Newcastle in the race for his signature.
The centre-back has made 140 appearances for Palace since joining from Chelsea in 2021, and has also gone on to earn 22 England caps and is now a regular starter for his country.
As a result, he has quickly become one of the most highly-rated defenders in the Premier League, and Brown has suggested his exit could be worth £80million.
Brown told Football Insider on 5 February that Spurs have not given up their pursuit of Guehi despite having a £70million bid rejected during the January transfer window.
Crystal Palace in race to sign Marc Guehi successor after Tottenham update
Palace are planning to replace Guehi like-for-like, and are expected to look within the EFL for potential replacements, although they are keen not to restrict their options.
Brown, who has a wealth of experience in top-level player recruitment after over a decade at Man United during their most successful period, insisted that work has already begun behind the scenes to find a suitable contender.
“They can try to force the price up because of the level of interest,” he told Football Insider.
“If there are multiple sides in for him, you can play them against each other and force them to go to their top mark and see what you get.
“Let’s say they get £70-80million for him, they have to know where that money is going.
“Where are you going to go to get another centre-back like him?
“I expect they’ll look to replace him like-for-like, albeit unlikely they’ll find the same quality.
“The scouts have been working hard behind the scenes to find the perfect replacement for him, but that’s not an easy thing to do.
“Not only does he give you a consistent level of performance every week, but he’s a good influence around the club as well.
“Even when there’s been speculation about his future, there’s never been suggestion that his head has been turned or he’s trying to force the move – which is important.
“He’ll be a big miss to Crystal Palace because of his own form and the influence he has.
“But in terms of replacing him, whether they look into the Championship or across Europe to find a new option, it’s one they have to make sure they get right.”
Update on Daniel Munoz future after Barcelona twist
Guehi is not the only Palace star attracting interest as a result of his performances at Selhurst Park, as a number of his teammates are wanted by top sides.
Daniel Munoz is another of those players and has attracted interest from the likes of Barcelona, Man City and Chelsea thanks to his role in Glasner’s side.
The Eagles paid just £7million of Munoz in January 2024, and could take the opportunity to make a significant profit on what has proved to be a smart investment.
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