Newcastle United have reportedly submitted an enquiry about the possibility of signing Crystal Palace and England centre-back Marc Guehi, who is also on the radar of Tottenham Hotspur.
According to The Sun, Newcastle are said to have made contact with Crystal Palace over a possible January deal for Marc Guehi, but they are far from alone, with Tottenham Hotspur also monitoring developments for the England defender.
The 23-year-old is rated as one of the Premier League’s best and most consistent defenders since signing for Palace in a £20 million deal back in 2021, and he will come with a hefty price tag to boot. To that end, it’s claimed the Eagles are desperate not to lose him in the middle of the season and will not budge from their stance next month unless the fee on the table is irresistible.
That said, with some of the Premier League’s big hitters all in the market for new defenders, it’s reported Newcastle have now made official contact over a possible deal for Guehi in an effort to get ahead of their rivals.
The Magpies were one of the best defensive units last season, but they have looked vulnerable at the back so far, partly down to injuries to their key stars. At centre-back, they already have Sven Botman as their main left-footer. They have been thinking about bringing in another defender for the long term, though not necessarily someone with the same dexterity as the Dutchman.
Although a left-footer, Guehi would be an excellent acquisition for them thanks to his versatility. With the likes of Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles, and Dan Burn in their twilight years, the Toon will not only be getting a talented young partner for Botman in Guehi but also someone who could fill in at left-back if required.
However, as Newcastle are operating close to their Financial Fair Play limit, they will not be able to go big on multiple permanent signings in the January transfer window to bolster the injury-hit squad and help them enjoy a successful second half of the campaign, ruling out any move for Guehi.
Similarly, amid a terrible injury crisis and a defence that has struggled to be consistent this season, Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou is certainly in the mood to strengthen the back-line, and Guehi would be a great choice for him to go for.
Tottenham have been looking into signing a new centre-back over the past few months, with interest shown in other Premier League profiles like Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah and Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly; however, their interest in both players has since cooled.
Clearly, the ideal centre-back profile would be a young and Premier League-proven player, and Guehi would be a perfect fit, having made 88 league appearances for Palace and even a handful of appearances for England.
Having said that, Tottenham will have their work cut out for them in trying to acquire Guehi’s signature, with a hefty price tag and limited finances after struggling to sell players in the past summer.
