Newcastle have been told they must pay “superstar money” to sign Marc Guéhi after Crystal Palace rejected a third bid for the England defender.
The Palace chairman, Steve Parish, is evidently playing hardball with Newcastle’s Saudi Arabian majority owners and, having rebuffed a latest offer understood to be in the region of £55m, said no one had yet matched the Selhurst Park club’s valuation of the 24-year-old central defender.
“If you want a superstar player you’ve got to play superstar money,” Parish told Sky Sports. “This is a player we love a lot. If we start the season with him we’ll be a better team, no doubt. We’re nowhere near the point where we need to make a decision. We cross these bridges as and when we come to them.
“Marc was in most people’s team of the Euros, he’s an excellent lad, we love having him at the club and would love to keep him. So if somebody wants to make that otherwise, they’ve got to make it really difficult for us. At the moment, that’s not a situation we’re in.”
Although Guéhi is believed to be keen to move to Newcastle he is not openly agitating for a transfer and Parish expects things to remain that way. “Marc Guéhi is as decent a human being and a footballer as you could ever possibly hope to meet,” he said. “Marc is absolutely loyal to Crystal Palace.
“Marc wants to progress his career, of course he does and if the right opportunity is there and it’s right for us, I think it’s something that he might be interested in. But he’s certainly not putting any pressure on the club whatsoever.”
With the mooted deal for Guéhi at an impasse Eddie Howe, Newcastle’s manager, is contemplating starting the new season with limited options in central defence where both Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles are recovering from anterior cruciate ligament ruptures and may be out until the new year.
Howe is still building a relationship with Newcastle’s new sporting director, Paul Mitchell, and their bond would doubtless be strengthened were Mitchell to pull off what would be seen as quite a coup as the north‑east club aim for a top‑four finish. Should the Guéhi deal not happen it is likely Newcastle would make another attempt to recruit the Milan centre-half Malick Thiaw, a player long tracked by Howe.
Newcastle’s manager will be concerned that Fulham are negotiating with Palace over the central defender Joachim Andersen. Were Andersen to move across London it could reduce the chances of Guéhi heading to St James’ Park significantly.
Howe could also be about to lose Miguel Almirón to Major League Soccer. Charlotte FC have had a bid in the region of £8m rejected for the Paraguay forward but are understood to be preparing a second offer. Newcastle want around £15m for a player signed by Rafael Benítez and could potentially replace him with the Chelsea right-winger Noni Madueke.
