Arsenal are among the clubs ready to test the resolve of Crystal Palace with regards to the transfer situation of key defender Marc Guehi, with Newcastle United also interested.
Sources with a close understanding of the situation have told CaughtOffside that Arsenal and Newcastle are keen on Guehi and that both clubs could try to get negotiations going by making opening bids to Palace for the England international.
Palace are understood to value Guehi at around €60m, or £50m, which Arsenal and Newcastle consider too high, so it will be interesting to see if they can negotiate this down in the weeks and months ahead.
It may take some time for Guehi’s future to be resolved while he’s away at Euro 2024 with England, but CaughtOffside understands that the 23-year-old is open to leaving Selhurst Park this summer.
Guehi transfer: Arsenal and Newcastle chasing Palace defender
Guehi certainly looks like a player ready to make the step up to a bigger club after impressing at Palace, while he’s also done well to establish himself as an increasingly important player for Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions side.
If Guehi does leave Palace, he’d probably do well to pick Newcastle over Arsenal, as it’s very hard to imagine that he’d start a lot of games at the Emirates Stadium due to the presence of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.
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Arsenal’s centre-back pairing were rock solid last season, so even though Guehi is a fine player, he’d surely have to make do with a role as a squad player with the Gunners, whereas he’d more likely become an important player and automatic starter at St James’ Park.
Of course, Arsenal are a big name who’d be hard to turn down, and they’ll have Champions League football next season, but Newcastle also looks like an exciting and ambitious project.