Newcastle United have reportedly been told that they will have to pay around £60 million for the services of Crystal Palace and England centre-back Marc Guehi.
According to Football Insider, Newcastle United are eyeing up a summer move for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi. But they will have to pay around £60 million to secure his services.
For all the talk of attacking and midfield transfer targets, Newcastle United are looking to bolster their centre-back options ahead of their return to the Champions League next season.
Eddie Howe preferred to utilise Fabian Schar and Sven Botman as his preferred central defensive pairing last season to qualify for the Champions League. As a result, club captain Jamaal Lascelles pretty much spent the entire season on the bench and could look to gain regular playing time elsewhere amid interest from Luton Town and West Ham United.
Even before the talk of Lascelles moving out, Howe was looking for a reliable right-sided centre-back option to provide competition to Swiss international Schar. And going by recent reports, they have set their sights on Crystal Palace duo Marc Guehi and Joachim Anderson as potential targets. The pair, of course, have established an outstanding partnership with the Eagles over the last couple of years.
Guehi, for one, joined Crystal Palace back in 2021 on a permanent basis from Chelsea. He has already racked up 73 league outings at Selhurst Park and has become a key player in their team, even captaining on occasions last term.
The English international has been a revelation for the Eagles, and his resolute performances have not gone unnoticed, with a well-deserved inclusion in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the first time last year, followed by four England caps so far.
Guehi could be a great fit for Newcastle’s needs. Apart from his excellent recovery pace and aerial prowess, the highly athletic defender is hugely comfortable on the ball, using his clever close control and acceleration to burst past attackers and travel upfield before spraying passes effortlessly.
The problem for Newcastle United is that they have to stump up a large amount of money to try and tempt Palace into business, with the Eagles demanding around the £60 million bracket for the 22-year-old. In addition, Arsenal, Tottenham, and Manchester United are also contemplating a bid for his services. So the Magpies may face a battle to sign the defender.
Guehi surely has a high ceiling and could prove to be a solid, long-term acquisition. But Newcastle also have to think about their overall budget in this window after spending big on the Sandro Tonali deal. They will want to make improvements in a number of areas, which makes it a tricky deal to get done this summer. On the other hand, his central defensive partner, Andersen, is a more realistic target for the Magpies.
