Shock Twist: Crystal Palace Could Lose Guehi for Free After Liverpool Transfer Collapse

When the final seconds ticked away in the summer transfer window, Crystal Palace’s captain Marc Guehi found himself at the heart of a drama no one quite saw coming. Liverpool had struck a deal for the promising defender—medical check? Passed with flying colors. Yet, just as the ink was about to dry, the Reds pulled the plug after missing out on Igor Julio, their preferred replacement, who slipped through their fingers to West Ham. Guehi? Left out in the cold, stunned and visibly frustrated. He played it straight and professional the entire time, steering clear of strikes or tantrums, but with his contract expiring soon, Palace faces a real dilemma: risk losing their star without a penny next summer or lock him down at a premium—something Guehi doesn’t seem keen on. Meanwhile, the tug-of-war between chairman Steve Parish and manager Oliver Glasner hints at deeper tensions, as each stakes out their angle on whether to keep or cash in on their skipper. And oh, the irony isn’t lost—other players bent the rules to force moves, yet Guehi gets the cold shoulder for simply respecting his club. The plot thickens, and with a standout goal against Aston Villa fresh in mind, we’re all left wondering just what’s next for this young lion at Selhurst Park. LEARN MORE

The saga regarding the future of Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi went through a an interesting twist in the closing minutes of the summer transfer window. The Eagles had reached an agreement with Liverpool over the transfer of the defender and he even passed the medical preceding the move, but they pulled out of the deal in the very last minute after losing out on Igor Julio, seen as the direct replacement, to West Ham.

According to multiple sources, the way the situation unfolded left Guehi extremely disappointed, and he believes that he had behaved professionally throughout, choosing not to go on strike to force the move. His contract expires at the end of the season, which means Palace now face the prospect of losing the England international without any compensation next summer. They’re ready to offer him a new, lucrative deal, but he has no intention of signing for the club ever again.

Liverpool coming back to try and sign him for a reduced fee in January would hardly surprise anyone. Indeed, such a move might spare them problems regarding potential competition for Guehi at the end of the season. But if Guehi remains at Selhurst Park past the winter window, Palace will lose his services for nothing, wherever he goes.

Meanwhile, Liverpool did complete the signing of striker Alexander Isak, who did refuse to play for Newcastle to force the move, as did Yoane Wissa for Brentford, angling to join Newcastle to boost their attacking ranks. The fact that what many consider unprofessional behaviour from Isak and Wissa did the trick, while Guehi seems to have been slapped in the face for showing his club respect, has not gone unnoticed.

Interestingly enough, there appears to have been a sort of strife between Palace chairman Steve Parish and manager Oliver Glasner on this front. Parish, from his position as the man looking after the interests of the club, repeatedly stated that a resolution of the problem had to be found, and that the club could not afford to lose a player like Guehi without compensation. Glasner, on the other hand, as the man in charge of the team, was clearly against Guehi being allowed to leave, and there have been reports suggesting he had threatened to resign if the sale went through.

For the time being, there haven’t been any signs of the 25-year-old refusing to play for Palace, but it’s been said he’s currently considering giving up on the captaincy.

Guehi scored a fantastic goal in Palace’s triumph away to Aston Villa on Sunday, but it will be interesting to see if he plays when the Eagles face Sunderland at home after the international break.