Image source: bbc.com
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner admits the club would sell captain Marc Guehi this month if his asking price is met, with Manchester City emerging as contenders for the England defender who is out of contract in the summer.
Glasner Confirms Palace Would Sell Guehi This Month If Right Offer Arrives
The England defender is out of contract at the end of the season and Manchester City have emerged as contenders to sign him during the January transfer window. City’s interest in Guehi has progressed following injuries to defenders Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias during Sunday’s draw against Chelsea, with the club now actively pursuing the 25-year-old centre-back.
Palace blocked a proposed £35m move to Liverpool last summer but now risk losing Guehi for nothing at the end of the season. Glasner acknowledged the financial reality facing the club, stating that if a massive offer comes from City and Guehi wants to make the move, it will happen. The Austrian manager admitted there will be a threshold where the club says the financial issue becomes more important than the sporting consideration.
Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are among the European clubs to have shown interest in signing Guehi on a free transfer. The defender can sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club from this month, adding urgency to Palace’s situation as they weigh up potential January offers against losing him for nothing in the summer.
Glasner explained that while everyone at the club would prefer Guehi to stay from a sporting perspective, the financial situation is very important. The manager confirmed that the chairman rejected many offers in the summer because Palace wanted to play a successful season and win the Community Shield, with the threshold for acceptable offers not being met at that time despite some coming close.
Guehi helped Palace finish 12th last season and win the FA Cup to qualify for Europe for the first time in the club’s history. The Eagles won the Community Shield in August, beating Premier League champions Liverpool on penalties, and are currently 14th in the table while progressing through to the knockout phase play-offs in the UEFA Conference League.
