Crystal Palace and England defender Marc Guehi is one of the transfer targets of Chelsea. Guehi, 24, is on the Blues list of defensive targets. In 2021, Palace paid ยฃ18m to acquire him. Before Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital bought Chelsea.
Chelsea has not officially sent Palace a message about Marc Guehi. Guehi’s people. Guehi still has 18 months left of his contract. When he joined Palace, he signed a five-year deal.
Chelsea want to sign a central defender in January or the summer. They lost Wesley Fofana to a bad hamstring injury in January. This could keep Fofana out for the season, manager Enzo Maresca said. Fofana will play again sooner, people close to him say.
Then there is defending centre-back Benoit Badiashile, who is also out until at least February. Guehi made just two Chelsea senior games. One made it to the EFL Cup in 2019. After spending time on loan at Swansea, he went to Palace. It’s 22 times he’s played for England now.
In the summer, Palace rejected four bids from Newcastle for Guehi. And the last offer was worth up to ยฃ65m. And Chelsea could also bring back Trevoh Chalobah from his loan at Palace. Read also: They also recalled Argentinian defender Aaron Anselmino from Boca Juniors.
Chelsea’s attempt to acquire Marc Guehi is a big deal for next summer’s transfer periods. That their former player is the main target for the club’s interest in defensive reinforcements highlights their need. This is also a good time to remind the football community.
Some clubs may re-think players that they have released. Both Chelsea and Guehi’s England displays have caught the eye. A move that could be a huge opportunity for all parties involved. Guehi could be returning to the club he began his career at.
Marc Guehi on the wishlist of Chelsea list
That would make for a tough decision for Palace to make over one of their key players.
The situation is precarious at the back for Chelsea. Had it not been for a season-ending serious hamstring injury for Wesley Fofana, the squad has quite a void to fill. Fofana could reportedly be out for the entire season.
It’s a massive blow for Chelsea. The problem is compounded by Benoit Badiashile, who will be absent at least until February. Perhaps most crucial for Chelsea however, are these injuries, with top centre-half absentees. Theyโve had to look in the transfer market for other options.
This was in part behind the clubโs interest in Guehi. It suggests they are going to get the squad to improve its defence. And Chelseaโs defence has been questionable. They have also given up goals when they shouldn’t have. The team has been pushed to score more. This hasnโt always been the case.
Chelsea looking for defensive options
The situation has only been made worse by injuries to key defenders. The club hierarchy admits weakness and wants to fix this. Guehi is a potential solution for them. They are prepared to shell out buckets of cash to bring him back to Stamford Bridge.
However, Guehiโs return to Chelsea will have a wide range of effects. It would be massive stability, a quality that Chelsea desperately needs in defence. In the Premier League, Guehi has proved himself to be a reliable and consistent performer. England international also gives him more worth.
His presence, too, would strengthen the starting lineup. It would also offer some very good competition. It would help the overall performance of the defensive unit. Losing Guehi for Crystal Palace would be a blow though.
Author’s Opinion
Since joining the club he has become a key player for them. The hole they would be left with would be big in their defence. If they needed to replace the person, they would have to find a replacement. It wouldnโt be easy, especially in the middle of the season.
Playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world, which is what it would allow him to do. That would also allow him to fight for major trophies. It is something he has not been able to do at Palace. The transfer is also financially significant.
It would be no surprise if Chelsea are forced to pay big to bring Guehi back to Stamford Bridge. That would be a good profit for Palace. He was originally bought by them for a lot less
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