Guehi close to permanent move to Palace from Chelsea

Will Ford
Guehi Swansea

Crystal Palace are reportedly close to completing the permanent signing of Marc Guehi from Chelsea on a five-year contract.

The Athletic state that Guehi is having a medical at Palace on Thursday ahead of the move.

The report claims Chelsea were reluctant to sanction the sale but Palace presented a proposal that persuaded the Blues to part with their academy product.


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It’s not clear what the transfer fee is but Chelsea are said to have negotiated a sell-on clause and matching rights on a future move.

Palace’s sporting director Dougie Freedman is said to have led the pursuit of Guehi, who impressed on loan at Swansea last season.

Many sides were said to be interested in both the Premier League and Bundesliga, but most of those suitors favoured a loan move with an option to buy, whereas Palace were keen to secure his permanent signing this summer – a deal Chelsea preferred with just two years remaining on his current contract.

Southampton, Brentford, Norwich, West Ham and Newcastle are all named in the report as being interested, as well as Borussia Monchengladbach, Stuttgart and Bayer Leverkusen.

Guehi will be Palace’s third summer acquisition after the arrivals of goalkeeper Remi Matthews and midfielder Michael Olise, and provides further evidence of the backing new manager Patrick Vieira is receiving at Selhurst Park.

They are also said to be tempted by fellow Blues star Conor Gallagher – who spent last season with West Brom – though that move would be on a loan basis.

Chelsea are looking to raise funds this summer as they continue to chase Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland.

Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc jokingly said on Monday that Haaland is “already in England” as speculation over his future intensifies.

And a report on Thursday claims that Chelsea are rejecting the pursuits of both West Ham and Aston Villa for Tammy Abraham, as they may need the striker as a makeweight in any deal for Haaland.

Both Premier League clubs are said to have approached Chelsea over a potential move for Abraham, either on loan or in a permanent deal ahead of the coming campaign.

And the report claims Abraham is thought to be keen on a move to West Ham in particular.

The Blues are said to value Abraham – whose contract expires in 2023 – at £50million, an excessive figure given his lack of game time under Thomas Tuchel at the end of last season.