Highly touted England international Marc Guehi, the new Palace captain, will continue to anchor the defense. His much talked about move to West Ham never materialized. That deal, reported at £35 million, had been agreed but the Eagles pulled out of the deal at the last minute. Guehi’s on his last year of his deal. The club reportedly wishes to avoid losing him for free at the end of the season.
Things got really serious when Guehi was given clearance to do a medical in London, prior to the move going through. He eventually chose not to relocate to south London. Palace will thus be able to retain their talisman for at least a little while longer.
Contract Situation and Future Prospects
As Guehi’s existing contract was due to expire in only twelve months, speculation immediately turned to his future. He can still go ahead and put pen to paper on a fresh agreement at Selhurst Park. Every indication is that he doesn’t want to stay in that job long term. If he doesn’t re-sign with the club before then, he’ll be able to talk to non-English clubs in January. One possibility would be for him to sign a pre-contract agreement.
Crystal Palace understands that waiting to try to sell Zaha until January will be too late. They are in danger of getting paid a fraction of the £35 million they would get if they sold today. The club’s administration hopes to secure a financial gain should they decide to sell Guehi during the winter transfer window.
Impact on Team Dynamics
For his part, head coach Oliver Glasner was obviously relieved when Guehi opted to remain. He stressed the importance of retaining those main actors as the season progresses.
“We have to [keep Guehi] if we want to play a successful season.” – Oliver Glasner, Sky Sports
Guehi’s leadership and strong performances this season have made him a lock in the middle of defense. He delivered a player-of-the-match performance during a recent victory against Aston Villa, showcasing his critical role in Palace’s defensive lineup.
Additionally, Crystal Palace has bolstered its squad by signing 19-year-old centre-back Jaydee Canvot from Toulouse for £20.8 million on deadline day. This acquisition could serve as a marker for a greater strategic play by the club to start building the foundations in the event that Guehi’s departed one day.
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