Crystal Palace head coach Oliver Glasner has made it clear that the club’s stance on captain Marc Guehi joining Manchester City is rooted in a balance between ambition on the pitch and realities off it, as interest from Pep Guardiola’s side gathers pace during the January transfer window.
Guehi, a key figure for both club and country, is entering the final months of his contract, with his current deal set to expire in the summer.
That situation has sharpened the focus around his future, particularly with City now weighing up defensive options after recent injury setbacks. Palace, who resisted significant interest last year, now face a familiar dilemma: cash in while they can or risk losing a prized asset for nothing.
Glasner has been candid about the club’s position, stressing that any potential exit would only happen if a clear financial line is crossed and the player himself agrees.
“I’m not naive,” said Glasner, as reported by the BBC. “If a massive offer comes from City and Marc wants to do it, it will happen.”
Palace see Guehi as central to their sporting objectives, but they also recognise the pressure created by the contract clock and the realities of the transfer market. With elite clubs across Europe monitoring the situation, the coming weeks could prove decisive.
Contract pressure and City’s growing interest
Manchester City’s attention has intensified following injuries to defenders Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias during their draw with Chelsea, leaving Pep Guardiola’s side short of options at the back.
Guehi’s profile — calm in possession, tactically disciplined and proven at Premier League level — fits the bill for a club chasing trophies on multiple fronts.
For Palace, the timing is awkward. They blocked a proposed £35m move to Liverpool last summer, judging that the offer did not reflect Guehi’s value or the club’s ambitions.
That decision was tied closely to their desire to build on recent success, with the defender playing a central role in a historic campaign.
Glasner acknowledged that from a purely footballing perspective, the answer to Marc Guehi joining Manchester City would be simple.
“If you’re just valuing sports, everyone in the club will say Marc has to stay,” he said. “The chairman will tell you the same. But it’s not one-dimensional. If you see the financial situation, it’s very important.”
Holding on to top talent can drive progress on the pitch, but failing to act at the right moment can leave a damaging hole in the balance sheet. With Guehi able to sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club from this month, Palace’s leverage is diminishing.
Interest is not limited to England. Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are all understood to be tracking the defender, with the prospect of a free transfer in the summer an attractive option.
That wider European attention only increases the pressure on Palace to make a decision sooner rather than later.
Glasner was clear that the club has an internal valuation that would trigger action. “If somebody comes, there will be a moment when the club says ‘now the financial issue is more important than the sports issue’,” he said.
“There will be a threshold where the club has to say it will happen – as long as Marc says ‘I want to leave’, because the final decision is always with the player.”
Meanwhile, it should be noted that Guehi’s importance to Palace is reflected in what the club has achieved with him at the heart of their defence.
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Last season, the Eagles finished 12th in the Premier League and lifted the FA Cup, securing European qualification for the first time in their history. It was a landmark moment that reshaped expectations around Selhurst Park.
The momentum carried into the new campaign. Palace beat Premier League champions Liverpool on penalties to win the Community Shield in August, adding another trophy to their growing collection.
While league form has been more uneven, leaving them 14th in the table, they remain alive in Europe and have reached the knockout phase play-offs of the Uefa Conference League.
Those achievements help explain why the club was reluctant to sell last summer. Glasner pointed to that context when discussing past decisions.
“The chairman rejected many offers in the summer because we want to play a successful season and wanted to win the Community Shield,” he said. “Therefore, Marc is important, and then he rejected the offer.”
At that time, Palace felt the balance favoured continuity. The offers on the table did not meet their expectations, financially or strategically.
“The threshold at that time, the money we got offered was not above it. Maybe it was close, but it was not above,” Glasner added.
Now, the calculation has shifted. With the contract nearing its end and elite clubs circling, Palace must decide whether holding firm still makes sense. City’s interest, backed by their financial power, represents the clearest test yet of the club’s resolve.
