Marc Guehi ‘wants to join Liverpool and is willing to wait to get his move’ with his contract ticking down – as Crystal Palace ‘eye up Reds wonderkid as part of deal’
Marc Guehi has decided he wants Premier League leaders Liverpool as his next career move and is reportedly keen to finalize the deal.
The England international joined Crystal Palace from Chelsea in 2021 after two loan spells at Swansea and was a hit in south London, making 133 appearances.
He played for the Three Lions at Euro 2024 this summer, in place of stalwart Harry Maguire, starting all but one match and featuring in several teams on the tournament lists.
This season he captained a struggling Palace side, making 22 appearances in all competitions and remaining one of the standouts among Oliver Glasner’s men.
Guehi, the son of a preacher, also landed in trouble with the FA this month after scrawling messages on LGBT rainbow bracelets during anti-campaign protests.
The 24-year-old remains an in-demand signing and is understood to have decided exactly where he wants to go after his spell at Selhurst Park comes to an end. The sun reports.
Marc Guehi wants to move to Liverpool if he eventually leaves Crystal Palace
The club captain has had another excellent campaign and now wants Champions League football
Arne Slot’s men have been on fire this season and rose to an impressive lead at the top
Guehi is believed to have an important say in his upcoming career move and is willing to be patient and wait for the right time to move to Liverpool.
Whether his departure takes place during the January transfer window or in the summer, the centre-back wants to join a Champions League club.
When Newcastle made three bids in the summer, Guehi remained apathetic to a move and was happy to stay at Crystal Palace after the club rejected all overtures for their star.
The Eagles will be hoping for a big transfer fee for the Englishman, although this figure is likely to decrease as he approaches his contract, which expires in June 2026.
The Croydon side are also keen to land a player the other way, with club chiefs particularly interested in winger Ben Doak, who has been loaned from the Reds to Championship team Middlesborough this season.
The 19-year-old has made 18 appearances for the promotion team this season and has ambitions of breaking into the Liverpool squad, but understands he may have to settle for a move elsewhere if that doesn’t work out.
Middlesborough are potential suitors but Palace will insist on him if their attempts to sign Lyon star Rayan Cherki, 21, fail next month due to interest in the French winger from Paris Saint-Germain.
After the summer transfer window closed, Glasner said: I never had any doubts [that Guehi would stay].
Guehi also joined the England team in the summer and certainly made himself heard at Euro 2024
Palace may want Ben Doak back after his good performances on loan at Middlesborough
Their main target is Lyon winger Rayan Cherki, but they could be outmatched by PSG
‘Congratulations to our owners for not giving in. Thank you to Marc, he was always open with me.
‘All the rumors had no influence on his performance. He has always told me that he is not pushing to leave Crystal Palace and that is always the most important thing for me.”
Guehi has had a tumultuous month amid controversy over his armband protest and the centre-back broke his silence on the issue shortly after being reprimanded by the FA.
As part of the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign in support of the LGBTQ+ community, top flight captains were given rainbow armbands to wear during two sets of matches.
Guehi chose to scribble the message ‘I love Jesus’ on his armband for Crystal Palace’s 1-1 draw against Newcastle and, despite being reminded of the kit rules, chose to write a new message – ‘Jesus loves you’ – ahead of Palace’s 1-1 draw. 0 win at Ipswich.
The Eagles captain was not disciplined for doubling down on his stance, later revealing the intended meaning behind his two posts.
“I think the message was quite clear, to be honest,” Guehi told Sky Sports. “It was also a message of love and truth, and a message of inclusivity, so I think it speaks for itself.”
Guehi wasn’t the only Premier League captain to cause controversy in the past two games, with Ipswich captain Sam Morsy refusing to wear the armband in the first place due to his Muslim beliefs. He was supported by his club and not reprimanded by the FA, leading to Guehi’s father, John, accusing the FA of double standards.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe was keen to sign Marc Guehi this summer and bid for him three times
Guehi wrote ‘I love Jesus’ on his rainbow bracelet before Crystal Palace’s draw against Newcastle
He then wrote ‘Jesus loves you’ before Palace’s 1-0 win over Ipswich on Tuesday night
His father John (left) accused the FA of double standards for reprimanding his son and not Ipswich skipper Sam Morsy
John exclusively told MailOnline on Tuesday: ‘I say: has he offended anyone? I don’t think so. I really believe in what the Bible says: Jesus loves everyone, and in my opinion Marc did not offend anyone with what he wrote.
‘Jesus loved everyone, so by saying “I love Jesus” on his bracelet, I really don’t see what is offensive and what the problem is.
‘If you look at what the LGBT community does, they try to impose what they believe on others. It’s faith against faith, but ultimately everyone is entitled to an opinion.
“But if the purpose of that opinion is to offend you then there is a problem, but if my opinion is just to express what I feel then that’s fine with me and I don’t think what Marc on that bracelet wrote is offensive.
“He’s talking about him, he loves Jesus and like I said, he refused to wear that bracelet. Like Morsy, people should pay more attention to the person who refused to wear it.”
‘He is a devout Christian; the son of a preacher and he accepted to put on the armband to welcome everyone to football, but the problem we have now is that players are now being used as spokespeople.”