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4 weeks ago
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Always interesting to step outside our Newcastle United ‘bubble’ and hear what outsiders are saying, in this instance those associated with Crystal Palace, after the Marc Guehi news earlier today.
Eagles manager Oliver Glasner announcing at his pre-Chelsea match press conference, that Marc Guehi was definitely not leaving in this transfer window.
This followed Sky Sports having reported on Thursday that they’d been informed that a fifth Newcastle United offer of £70m (£65m plus £5m potential future add-ons) had been made.
The broadcaster adding that if this offer wasn’t accepted, then Newcastle United would walk away from the deal, as they were sick of the antics of the Crystal Palace hierarchy.
What Crystal Palace were wanting, rising with each successive NUFC bid.
Independent Crystal Palace site We Are Palace – 30 August 2024:
‘Ultimately, Crystal Palace wanted £75m in the end to sell Guehi, a figure Newcastle were not willing to pay.
Crystal Palace’s plan to fend off Newcastle worked and now, Guehi looks set to spend the 2024/25 season at Selhurst Park.
Oliver Glasner shares what Marc Guehi told him
Crystal Palace manager and expert tactician Oliver Glasner has now given his thoughts on Guehi’s possible switch to Newcastle – during his pre-match press conference.
“I was never really in doubt”, Glasner explained.
“Congratulations to Crystal Palace, to the chairman and our owners because they didn’t give up.
“Especially after the transfer of Joachim Andersen because it was very important Marc stays.”
Following this, Glasner explained that he never had any doubts over Guehi’s future.
“Thank you to Marc, we were always very close and talked a lot and the rumours didn’t influence his performance.
“He always told me that he’s not pushing to leave Crystal Palace. Marc told me very often.”
Crystal Palace have a new club icon
This summer, Guehi could very well have kicked up a fuss and demanded he be sold – however, the fact he has not and instead respected the club shows why fans love him.
Now, Guehi has the chance to achieve cult hero status at the club during the 2024/25 season.
With Crystal Palace targeting Europe this season, if Guehi can help lead the club to this, with the captain’s armband, he will go down in history.
Ultimately, for Guehi this decision is correct as Newcastle is not even in Europe and are barely a step up. Next summer if he wants to go, he could end up at a truly elite club instead.’
I have a few observations…
If the price to land Marc Guehi was indeed £75m (or higher…), then personally I am fine with Newcastle United walking away.
I think he looks a decent defender and looked good last season for Palace and then England in the Euros this summer, but £75m, really? Really?
When we first heard Newcastle United had put an offer in of around £50m in total, I thought it sounded fair enough deal. When it went up to £55m NUFC were offering, I thought just about worthwhile. However, once we were hitting £60m and then a new club record and ending up them wanting at least £12m more than Alexander Isak cost, surely any ‘value’ disappearing.
My back of an envelope workings out, tell me that we paid a total of £70m in transfer fees for Trippier (£12m), Burn (£13m), Kelly (£0m), Botman (£35m) and Pope (£10m). basically an entire back four and keeper for £5m less than Crystal Palace ended up demanding for Marc Guehi, at the very least it appears.
The fact not one other club swooped in to try and take this bargain from the Eagles for £50m, £55m, £60m, £65m, £70m, £75m… surely tells us something.
Marc Guehi is a decent player and I would have been happy for Newcastle United to sign him BUT he was no bargain even at £50m.
I look forward to seeing what a ‘truly elite club’ end up paying for Marc Guehi, if anything?!!!
I understand anybody associated with Crystal Palace wanting to make out that this is some great victory for their club and fans.
However, to suggest that Crystal Palace held all the aces on this one was never the reality.
If/when they get to next summer and Marc Guehi has 12 months or less on his Palace contract, what exactly will his value be then? Steve Parish in an incredibly weak position and the ultimate possible?
Marc Guehi potentially turning around and saying say at the end of August 2025, well I only need to spend another 10 months here and I can then leave on a free and earn millions and millions more in wages, from an ‘elite’ club or whoever, than if Crystal Palace had accepted one of the five Newcastle United bids.
I would laugh my proverbials off if this ended up the case, especially if he came to Newcastle United for free! I would willingly chuck in a few extra quid towards his free agent level wages.
We will probably never know for sure but it looks like the fact that Chelsea were due a significant chunk of any transfer fee Newcastle United paid (Palace paid Chelsea £18m for Marc Guehi in 2021, with sell-on clause included in that deal), saw Palace decide to hang on to Guehi unless Newcastle went really daft, selling Joachim Andersen instead.
Crystal Palace fans can celebrate hanging onto their captain and ‘club icon’ for a little bit longer but personally speaking, I am not too keen on my club icons repeatedly refusing to sign a new extended contract and seeing their contracts rapidly ticking down.
Crystal Palace fans looking forward to Marc Guehi leading them into Europe?
Well, I know it is early days but two poor performances and Premier League defeats to mediocre London rivals such as Brentford and West Ham doesn’t scream Champions League here we come.
More realistically, Marc Guehi looking forward to playing in front of as few as eleven thousand Crystal Palace fans, as was the case in midweek when they won against Norwich, a twelve thousand crowd in total including the travelling canaries.
It has been a frustrating Marc Guehi episode for Newcastle United and their fans, however, in the long-term, I think this will prove to be a very hollow victory for Crystal Palace and their supporters.

 
