Newcastle United are reportedly interested in a potential summer move for Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi.
Eddie Howe is looking to bolster his centre-back options ahead of the Toon Army’s return to the Champions League for the first time in 20 years. He wants more strength in depth as the Magpies look to build on the impressive fourth-place finish accomplished in the 2022-23 campaign.
According to Football Insider, Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi has been identified as a potential defensive target by Newcastle United. However, the Eagles are said to have placed a £60m valuation on their star defender, who enjoyed another solid season at Selhurst Park.
Guehi, 22, has established himself as a key player for Crystal Palace since joining the club from Chelsea in the summer of 2021, making 82 appearances across all competitions to date, including 37 Premier League starts last term. The centre-back, who is under contract at Selhurst Park until June 2026, made his England debut in March 2022. And he earned his fourth national cap last month in England’s big 4-0 win over Malta in the Euro 2024 qualifiers.
Marc Guehi to Newcastle—Should the Magpies pay £60m for his services?
Newcastle United have already made a statement of intent upon their return to the Champions League by signing Sandro Tonali from AC Milan in a deal worth around £60.2m. Having reinforced the midfield unit with Tonali’s acquisition, they seem to have switched their attention towards beefing up their defensive options.
Captain Jamaal Lascelles is expected to leave the club with just one year remaining on his contract. This should potentially leave Eddie Howe with just three centre-backs in his squad—Fabian Schar, Sven Botman and Dan Burn. Botman and Schar formed a strong centre-back pairing at the heart of Newcastle’s defence last term, with Burn establishing himself as a first-choice left-back under Howe.
Thus, it is understandable why the Magpies want a new central defender in their ranks for the upcoming 2023/24 campaign. And, in that regard, Marc Guehi would be ideal for Newcastle.
Guehi has carved out a reputation as one of the Premier League’s talented young defenders since he joined Crystal Palace from Chelsea in 2021. His contributions at the back have been instrumental in helping the Eagles finish 12th and 11th in the last two campaigns, respectively.
The four-cap England international’s speed and commanding presence on the field would add more solidity to Newcastle’s defence, whilst his Premier League experience should come in handy. More importantly, Guehi’s aggressive style of play and ball-playing skills seems an ideal fit for Howe’s system, offering much-needed cover and competition for Schar, Botman and Burn.
For a talented defender with leadership qualities, it is no wonder why Palace have slapped a £60m price tag on his back. If Newcastle have kept funds aside to strengthen other areas of the pitch, then they must pay up the premium to get the services of Guehi.