Crystal Palace fans are facing the reality of losing star man Marc Guehi within a few months, with the defender out of contract at the end of this season. Guehi was denied a move to Liverpool on deadline day in the summer after Palace failed to find an improvement, but he has shown remarkable professionalism since then, remaining a key part of Oliver Glasner’s team and contributing immensely to what has been a successful start to the season.
But while Guehi was willing to continue with the Eagles, and with a good attitude no less, refusing to criticise the club publicly, he has not changed his desire to leave the club and get a well-deserved move to a top club.
The defender understandably wants to win tittles and get paid handsomely for the privilege, and he has already told Palace that he will be on his way when his contract expires.
Glasner confirmed last week: “I think Marc has already told us that he doesn’t sign a new contract, so he will leave next year. The club wanted [him to stay]. They offered Marc a new contract. But he said, ‘no, I want to make something different’. And that’s normal.
“And for us, it’s how we can deal with this situation? [What] is the best way to get this next step done? And that’s all about how we are talking together.”
Clubs like Liverpool might have had an advantage when it comes to a January deal, but with a summer move now looking likely, the advantage falls to European clubs, who can enter direct negotiations with the player over a pre-contract agreement from January 1.
But in the modern world of football business, clubs don’t usually wait until they are officially cleared to negotiate to line up deals with agents. Bayern Munich are no exception, and according to Sky Sports Germany, Bayern have made Guehi their main target for the summer.
With concerns over the future of Dayot Upamecano and Kim min-Jae, Bayern need a new centre-back, and they see Guehi as the perfect option. It’s not a stretch to thin Guehi would see a move to Bayern as an attractive one given it would put him in a good position to win national and European titles, while he could also link up with England teammate Harry Kane.
The report claims Bayern are ‘intensifying’ their efforts to land Guehi, and their sporting chief Max Eberl is said to have held a secret meeting with Guehi’s agent in Munich last week.
Other clubs are also likely to come to the table, but it seems Bayern are looking to get ahead of the competition to get something agreed in principle before Guehi looks elsewhere. If that meeting has taken place, Guehi will surely be aware of it, and that’s not ideal as far as Palace are concerned after a shock defeat in the Conference League and a big clash with Arsenal in the Premier League this weekend.
Palace will be hoping Guehi can keep his focus on matters at hand while his agent fields calls over his future.
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