Crystal Palace Open To Marc Guehi Sale This January

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has admitted the club would be prepared to sell captain Marc Guehi this month if their valuation is met, with Manchester City stepping up their interest ahead of the January transfer deadline.

Marc Guehi, 25, is entering the final months of his contract and could leave Selhurst Park for nothing in the summer.

Palace blocked a £35 million bid from Liverpool last year but now face a delicate balancing act between sporting ambition and financial reality.

City have emerged as serious contenders following defensive injury setbacks to Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias during their recent draw with Chelsea. Their growing interest has sharpened the focus on Guehi’s future.

“I’m not naive,” Glasner said, speaking to the Athletic and the Times. “If a massive offer comes from City and Marc wants to do it, it will happen.”

Palace are acutely aware of the risk. While the club values Guehi as a cornerstone of the side, the chance of losing him on a free transfer has altered the landscape. From this month, the defender is free to sign a pre-contract agreement with overseas clubs.

“If you’re just valuing sports, everyone in the club will say Marc has to stay,” Glasner added.

“The chairman will tell you the same. But it’s not one-dimensional. If you see the financial situation, it’s very important.

“If somebody comes, there will be a moment when the club says ‘now the financial issue is more important than the sports issue’.

“There will be a threshold where the club has to say it will happen, as long as Marc says ‘I want to leave’, because the final decision is always with the player.”

Guehi has played a central role in one of the most successful periods in Palace’s history. He captained the side as they finished 12th last season and lifted the FA Cup, earning European qualification for the first time.

The Eagles followed that up by winning the Community Shield in August, beating Premier League champions Liverpool on penalties.

This season, Palace sit 14th in the league and have progressed to the knockout play-off stage of the UEFA Conference League.

“The chairman rejected many offers in the summer because we want to play a successful season and wanted to win the Community Shield,” Glasner said. “Therefore, Marc is important, and then he rejected the offer.

“The threshold at that time, the money we got offered was not above it. Maybe it was close, but it was not above.”

Across Europe, interest in Guehi remains strong. Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid have all been linked with a potential free transfer in the summer.

However, reports from German journalist Christian Falk suggest Bayern do not plan to move in January, with their focus firmly on extending Dayot Upamecano’s contract, which is nearing its expiry.