Marc Guehi's transfer to Liverpool seemed acquired a few hours from the transfer window. The agreement was around 40 million euros and Crystal Palace had even prepared a farewell video for its captain. This sequence, which has since leaked on social networks, showed the defender thanking his supporters, returning to his most beautiful moments under the jersey of the Eagles and notably recalling his decisive role in the conquest of the FA Cup last season. The dark and solemn tone of the video emphasized how the departure appeared. Guehi had already carried out part of his medical examination with Liverpool, a five -year contract had been agreed and the documents were ready to be sent to the Premier League. However, around 7:30 p.m., Steve Parish and the management of Palace stopped the operation clearly, failing to have found a defender to replace him.
In the days before, Oliver Glasner had not hidden his exasperation in the face of the situation. Crystal Palace coach publicly explained the urgency of the situation: “We had a meeting in March where we discussed the situation and we concluded an agreement that we could sell Marc if we had the right replacement”he recalled. “We wanted to have this replacement from the start of the pre-season to be independent. It was July 9, at the start of the season. We are August 31 and there is no replacement. It is therefore clear that part of the agreement is not respected. »» Under these conditions, Glasner said that it was unthinkable to let his captain go, concluding without detour: “It means that we cannot sell Marc. It is neither a wish nor a gift for Oliver Glasner, it is necessary to make a successful season. »»
A final failure on the transfer window
The palace turnaround has its origin in a recruitment failure: the arrival of Igor Julio, defender of Brighton, has not succeeded. Although the player had his medical visit, he finally decided not to join the Eagles. This last -minute refusal caused the anger of Glasner, who believed that his club had left the operation Guehi to go too far without warranty on a replacement. To appease their coach and preserve the solidity of the team, the leaders of Palace preferred to give up the transfer definitively. Guehi, who is starting the last year of his contract, will therefore remain captain of Selhurst Park. At just 25 years old, he is already considered one of the most reliable central defenders in the Premier League since his arrival from Chelsea in 2021.
For Liverpool, this outcome constitutes a major failure of a day yet marked by the record recruitment of Alexander Isak for 150 million euros. The Reds, who have long been looking for a high -level reinforcement in central defense, will have to wait for a next transfer window to restart the file. Until then, Marc Guehi could see his situation evolve, since he will be free to negotiate a free departure at the end of the season if he does not extend. In the meantime, Crystal Palace savor the conservation of his captain, hero of the triumph in FA Cup last season and scorer on Sunday during the 3-0 victory against Aston Villa. Asked after the meeting, the defender had preferred to avoid speculation, refusing to comment on his future, but his presence remains a vital asset for a club that intends to build his success around him.
