Crystal Palace have dropped their asking price for Marc Guehi but knocked back Chelsea’s opening bid for the England defender, according to reports.
Chelsea have expressed interest in signing Guehi, who they sold in 2021, as Enzo Maresca looks to bolster his defensive options at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca is having to cope without injured defenders Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashille, with the absences likely contributing to Chelsea’s wobble over the festive period.
The Blues emerged as genuine title contenders in the Premier League earlier in the season but picked up just two points in four games over Christmas to slip ten points behind Liverpool.
Highly-rated teenager Josh Acheampong was handed his first Premier League start in Saturday’s draw with Crystal Palace while Chelsea have already recalled defender Aaron Anseliminio from his loan spell in Argentina.
Reports say Chelsea are considering doing the same with Crystal Palace loanee Trevoh Chalobah, though the Blues are also interested in signing another Selhurst Park star.
Guehi has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League over the past two seasons and was a key player for England at Euro 2024.
He made just two appearances for Chelsea before being sold to Palace in 2021 but could be set to return to Stamford Bridge.
The Sun say Chelsea recently made an opening offer for the 24-year-old which was deemed as a ‘silly’ figure by Palace.
Crystal Palace rejected multiple bids from Newcastle United for Guehi last summer, the last worth £65m.
The south London side – currently just 15th in the Premier League, five points above the relegation zone – were holding out for £70m but have reportedly dropped their asking price to around £15m as Guehi has entered the final 18 months of his contract.
Chelsea are expected to return with an improved bid but it remains to be seen whether they will strike a deal with Palace and bring Guehi back to west London.
Guehi was linked with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United as well as Newcastle last summer and is said to be keen to join a Champions League club.
During England’s run to the Euro 2024 final, Teddy Sheringham urged his former club Man United to sign Guehi.
‘After the way Marc Guehi played for England during the Euros, I’d quite happily see Manchester United go for him,’ he told Fair Betting Sites.
‘I think he could be a star for the club over the next few years. He’s already got a lot of leadership qualities at a young age through his captaincy of Crystal Palace and he just seems assured in everything he does.
‘That’s what United need at the back – leadership and composure. They played with far too many centre-back partnerships last season and you could tell there was no cohesion between the players and goalkeeper even towards the end of the season.
‘Guehi was probably one of the standout performers for an England team that got to the final and one of the players that avoided criticism throughout, so he’s shown he can do it on the big stage, and there’s no bigger stage in English football than Manchester United.’
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