What Marc Guehi was seen doing after 2-1 Crystal Palace defeat amid Newcastle links, it could be telling
Marc Guehi led Crystal Palace as captain in their 2-1 defeat against Brentford on Sunday, a match that took place amidst intense speculation linking him to a potential move to Newcastle United.
The Magpies recently had a £65 million bid for the England international turned down by Crystal Palace. The reason? The offer wasn’t entirely guaranteed; it included only £60 million upfront, with the remaining £5 million to be paid in installments. Steve Parish, Crystal Palace’s chairman, is reportedly holding out for the full £65 million to be guaranteed.
According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle’s bid fell short of these demands, and while negotiations may continue, recent events suggest that Guehi could be inching closer to an exit from Selhurst Park. Palace supporters took note of Guehi’s unusual behavior following Sunday’s loss, which has only fueled rumors of his impending departure.
**What Marc Guehi Did After Crystal Palace’s Defeat to Brentford**
Those present at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday witnessed an intriguing moment as Guehi, wearing the No.6 shirt, spent an extended period applauding the traveling Palace fans in front of the away end. What made this gesture even more notable was that Guehi stood alone at the front of the group, clapping the supporters.
While this could simply be seen as a captain taking responsibility after a disappointing result, the timing and nature of the gesture have led many to speculate that it might have been a farewell from the 23-year-old. Adding to the speculation are reports emerging from Germany, hinting at Palace’s preparations for Guehi’s possible departure.
Florian Plettenburg of Sky Germany recently sent out a cryptic tweet suggesting that Crystal Palace has reached an agreement to sign Maxence Lacroix from VfL Wolfsburg. The French defender, who has just 11 months left on his contract, has previously worked with Oliver Glasner at Wolfsburg, making this a seemingly straightforward deal for Palace’s Sporting Director Dougie Freedman to finalize.
According to Plettenburg, Lacroix has already agreed to personal terms with Crystal Palace, paving the way for him to potentially replace Guehi at the heart of Palace’s defense.
**Newcastle’s Increasing Urgency**
The pressure on Newcastle to secure Guehi’s signature is intensifying. If they weren’t already eager to bring him in – especially after his standout performances for England at UEFA Euro 2024 – they might be even more so now, following an incident involving their current defender, Fabian Schar.
Schar received a straight red card for headbutting Ben Brereton Diaz during Newcastle’s 1-0 victory over Southampton, leaving Eddie Howe with a defensive headache for the next three games. This suspension could push Newcastle to dig deeper into their pockets and finally meet Palace’s full asking price for Guehi.
Whether this recent turn of events will be enough to close the gap between the two clubs’ valuations of the player remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the situation is rapidly evolving, and the coming days could be crucial in determining Guehi’s future.
