When asked if Marc Guéhi would still be a Crystal Palace player when the summer transfer window shuts, Eagles manager Oliver Glasner was emphatic: “He has to.”
Liverpool have been routinely linked with a move for the revered centre back. Palace chair Steve Parish admitted that the club would be forced to sell Guéhi if he refused to extend his contract which expires next summer. In the absence of any extension discussions, Liverpool were expected to imminently wrap up a deal in the region of £35–45 million ($47.2–60.7 million).
Glasner had other ideas. Having already lost his creative lynchpin when Eberechi Eze joined Arsenal, the Austrian coach was adamant that he would not have another standard bearer of his side whisked away with just days remaining to secure a suitable stand-in.
“It is not possible to find a Marc Guéhi replacement who can play straight in the Premier League,” Glasner huffed at his press conference on Friday.
On the same day, it emerged that Palace reportedly agreed a deal with Toulouse to sign Jaydee Canvot, per Fabrizio Romano. The 19-year-old has only amassed 22 senior appearances across an embryonic career which began just 11 months ago. Undoubtedly an intriguing prospect for the future, Canvot would not be a natural replacement for Guéhi, Palace’s on-pitch leader and consistent England international.
Unlike some other notable Premier League players who down tools to force through a move, Guéhi has not only played but shone under this bright spotlight of scrutiny. The 25-year-old led the Eagles out as captain in Norway on Thursday night as Palace secured a 0–0 draw against Fredrikstad to book their spot in the league phase of the Conference League—AZ, Dynamo Kyiv, Strasbourg, KuPS, AEK Larnaca and Shelbourne now await them in the competition’s league phase.
Ahead of the crucial European qualifier, Glasner had gushed: “I’m speaking to Marc almost every day and it was clear he would play this game in Norway and then let’s see what will come. But I know that I can rely on Marc and count on him.”
If the Austrian coach has his way, he will be able to rely upon Guéhi for the remainder of the season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Crystal Palace Boss Sends Three-Word Response to Marc Guehi Liverpool Transfer Question.