Crystal Palace have rejected Liverpool’s opening bid of £35m for England defender Marc Guéhi, insisting that the Premier League champions must raise their offer to meet the club’s £40m valuation. The London side want the deal structured with an initial £35m fee, an additional £5m in performance-related bonuses, and a 10% sell-on clause before sanctioning the move.
Guéhi, who has under a year remaining on his contract, has so far refused to sign an extension. Palace chairman Steve Parish has already admitted that the 25-year-old may have to be sold this summer to avoid losing him for free at the end of the season. Liverpool are believed to be the player’s preferred destination, and their formal bid on Saturday has now accelerated negotiations.
Palace remain reluctant to let one of their most consistent performers leave, especially given the timing of the transfer window. Manager Oliver Glasner has publicly stated that Guéhi is central to the club’s defensive stability and warned that replacing him at such short notice would be almost impossible. Nevertheless, Palace appear ready to sanction the deal if Liverpool meet their demands.
Efforts to secure reinforcements are already underway at Selhurst Park. The FA Cup winners have reached an agreement with Toulouse for highly rated French Under-20s defender Jaydee Canvot in a deal worth up to £23.4m. Canvot is expected to sign a five-year contract and is seen as a long-term prospect, though he may lack the immediate experience required to replace Guéhi in the starting lineup.
In search of more established cover, Palace have also explored moves for other defenders. An approach to include Joe Gomez in the Guéhi deal on loan was turned down by Liverpool, while talks with Manchester City over Switzerland international Manuel Akanji face complications as the player attracts interest from AC Milan. Palace have also inquired about Monaco’s Mohammed Salisu, with a potential loan deal under consideration.
While Palace weigh their options, time is running out ahead of the transfer deadline. For Liverpool, Guéhi represents a key addition to bolster a backline in need of depth and future leadership. With both sides holding firm, the next 48 hours are set to be decisive in determining whether the England defender makes the switch to Anfield
