According to reports, a transfer ‘loophole’ could lead to Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi returning to former club Chelsea in a ‘cut-price’ January deal.
Guehi progressed through the ranks at Chelsea but failed to establish himself as a regular for his boyhood club.
The talented defender joined Crystal Palace for around £18m after he shone while on loan at Championship outfit Swansea City.
The 24-year-old has subsequently emerged as one of the standout centre-backs in the Premier League and he was one of the top performers at last summer’s European Championships.
The 2023/24 campaign was a breakout season for Guehi as his performances fuelled reports linking him with several Premier League rivals.
Newcastle United failed with rejected summer bids for Guehi and this could lead to him re-joining Chelsea this month or in the summer.
Chelsea have surpassed expectations this season as they have emerged as a potential contender for the Premier League title, but they are lacking a top-tier centre-back and Guehi would be a great addition.
Guehi’s current contract is due to expire in 2026, so Palace are likely to cash in on their prized asset this year if they cannot come to terms over an extension.
Palace had Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah on loan at the start of this season, but he has been recalled by his parent club.
Despite this, a report from The Daily Mail claims ‘talks have been ongoing’ regarding Guehi’s potential move to Chelsea and a transfer ‘loophole’ could lead to a ‘cut-price’ transfer.
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The report explains:
‘It was established that Palace would look for a fee of around £60million for the England international, who has just 18 months to run on his contract.
‘There was a feeling that an offer of between £45m-£50m would have been enough to coax Palace to the negotiating table.
‘Chelsea are well-placed to launch a move Guehi. In selling the defender to Palace for £18million in 2021, Chelsea included a 20 percent sell-on clause and rights to match any transfer offer for the rival club.
‘Crucially, the sell-on clause was viewed as a vital component in any move for Guehi, with the contractual quirk enabling Chelsea to effectively secure a discount on the defender’s transfer fee.
‘For instance, if Chelsea had agreed a £50m fee for the 24-year-old, the Stamford Bridge side would have been entitled to a £10m discount, bringing the price down to just £40m. That, understandably, is not an ideal scenario for Palace as they aim to get as much as possible for their prized asset.
‘While there were suggestions that Chelsea may agree to waive the sell-on clause to simplify negotiations, Palace’s move to set an asking price not far removed from the £70m they’d demanded from Newcastle in the summer is likely to have factored in the ‘discount’.
‘Despite the cost, Chelsea have given serious consideration to launching a swoop for Guehi this month, with the player believed to be aware of the interest in him from his ex-employers.’
