Marc Guehi’s future remains a big talking point going into the January transfer window after his deadline day move to Liverpool in the summer collapsed last minute.
Guehi was on the verge of signing for the Reds, with £35m deal agreed between the two clubs and the player had even completed his medical in London.
However, Crystal Palace ended up pulling the plug on the deal in the very last minute, preventing the player his big move to Anfield.
The decision to not sell Guehi was a big one as it meant that the club would lose him for free next summer with the player entering the final year of his contract.
Marc Guehi’s blocked move to Liverpool explained
(Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
In an interview with talkSPORT, Palace owner and chairman Steve Parish has given an inside scoop on why the ‘difficult’ decision was made.
Parish explained that he felt keeping the player for another season was necessary for Palace to enjoy a strong season, specially with the club playing in their first European competition.
“It’s a difficult decision. It’s as simple as that these things are never black and white.
“I decided in the end that, based on the advice that I got and with what I think, that we would have a better season if we kept Marc.
“We don’t guess about these things. If you look at it rationally, if you look at what is worth the place in the Premier League, the fact that we’re in the Conference League for the first time in our history, this is a fairly unusual set of circumstances in which to keep a player.
“If we were fighting between the difference of 10th and 14th, if that was going to be the difference between keeping Marc and letting Marc go, then probably we would have said right, ‘We should take the money.’”
Crystal Palace’s succession plans for Marc Guehi
When asked about Crystal Palace’s plans to replace Guehi when he eventually departs, chairman Parish pointed to Jaydee Canvot and Chadi Riad as players who could make an external signing unnecessary.
“We’ve got Jaydee [Canvot] who’s coming in, who’s going to develop as a player, we hope,” Parish said.
“We’ve got Chadi [Riad] coming back from injury. Hopefully,…
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