Newcastle United could still have the last laugh over Crystal Palace following a failed pursuit of Marc Guehi in the summer transfer window.
Newcastle also looked at Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze over the summer but Olise moved on to Bayern Munich while Eze, like Guehi, remained at Selhurst Park. The Magpies identified Guehi as a top transfer target for the summer and spent the final weeks of the window in negotiations with Palace looking to strike a deal.
A deal totalling £70million was reportedly proposed to Palace but it was not enough to convince the South London club to part ways with the 24-year-old defender. Guehi has less than two years remaining on his current contract at Crystal Palace and his value was high following a successful Euro 2024 tournament with England.
Unless a new contract is agreed, Guehi’s value is likely to decline over the next two windows – allowing Newcastle to return to negotiations with a lower offer and a stronger negotiating position. Palace not cashing in on Guehi this summer is also understood to have caused some tension amongst the club’s major shareholders.
Most valuable player: Eberechi Eze (£46.4m)Most valuable player: Eberechi Eze (£46.4m)
Most valuable player: Eberechi Eze (£46.4m) | Getty Images
In addition to Guehi, Palace’s other England star Eze is facing an uncertain future due to terms in his release clause. Eze had a £60million release clause at Place plus a further £8million in add-ons that could be triggered during the summer transfer window.
It had been assumed that Eze’s time-sensitive release clause had expired over the summer. However, Mail Online have reported that the 26-year-old’s release clause will become active once again next summer.
Eze’s contract at Selhurst Park runs until 2027 with the midfielder attracted interest from the likes of Newcastle, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.
It has also been suggested that Palace may consider bids lower than Eze’s release clause should the player wish to leave.
