Steve Parish learns fate after ‘rolling the dice’ with Newcastle United over Marc Guehi
Crystal Palace Face Dilemma Over Marc Guehi as Summer Decision Looms
Crystal Palace may be forced to make a difficult decision regarding Marc Guehi this summer, as they risk losing the England international on a free transfer if they fail to sell him before his contract expires. That’s the stark warning from former club chairman Simon Jordan, who believes the Eagles gambled last summer by turning down a serious approach from Newcastle United—and could now face the consequences.
Last year, Newcastle made multiple attempts to sign the highly-rated centre-back, but all their bids were turned down by Palace. According to Jordan, the Magpies were ultimately put off by what they considered to be excessive demands from club chairman Steve Parish, who reportedly valued Guehi at “superstar money” levels. With Guehi entering the final 12 months of his deal, Newcastle eventually decided to walk away rather than meet the inflated asking price.
“Palace rolled the dice,” Jordan said in a recent talkSPORT interview. “They refused a legitimate offer from Newcastle because they believed they could get more, or that they couldn’t afford to lose Guehi at that point in time. Now they’re facing the real possibility of getting nothing for a player who could walk away for free.”
Since that standoff, Guehi has continued to be a key figure at Selhurst Park, helping Crystal Palace lift the FA Cup and achieve a solid mid-table Premier League finish. Despite his contributions on the pitch, the 23-year-old has shown little intention of renewing his contract, and manager Oliver Glasner has openly acknowledged that the player is weighing up his personal career options.
“Marc is thinking about what’s best for his career,” Glasner said in a previous press conference. “That’s something we have to accept as a club, even if it’s not ideal.”
Interest in Guehi remains high. Liverpool are among the clubs reportedly monitoring the defender’s situation closely, while Tottenham Hotspur are also said to have submitted a bid during the January transfer window. Yet with no signs of a contract extension forthcoming, Palace may have no choice but to sell the player now—or risk losing him for nothing next summer.
“Unless you can tie him down, you’ve got to sell,” Jordan added. “He’s clearly not going to sign a new deal, so what are your options? Let him leave for free next year and then spend money finding a replacement? That doesn’t make sense. Glasner won’t be happy about it, but it’s the reality of the situation.”
Palace are no strangers to losing key players in recent windows. The club has already parted ways with standout talents like Joachim Andersen and Michael Olise. Last summer, chairman Steve Parish reportedly feared the destabilizing effect of letting too many key figures go at once, including Guehi.
At the time, Parish defended the club’s stance, stating that Premier League survival was their top priority. “Our first north star is staying in the division,” he said last month. “Anything that significantly increases the risk of that happening is very difficult to justify.”
Now, however, with Guehi’s contract winding down and strong interest from top Premier League clubs, Palace find themselves under increasing pressure to make a definitive call. The summer transfer window could be the last opportunity to cash in on one of their most valuable assets.