Steve Parish doesn’t often make transfer decisions based on emotion. But even he admits that Crystal Palace’s call to pull the plug on Marc Guehi’s move to Liverpool at the final hour required “gut instinct” as much as logic.
The 25-year-old centre-back had been on the brink of joining the Premier League champions on Deadline Day in a deal worth around £35 million. Liverpool had identified Guehi as a priority target to strengthen their defensive options following Jarrell Qunsah departure and Ibrahima Konaté’s recurring fitness issues.
Talks between the two clubs had reached an advanced stage. Guehi had been permitted to undergo a medical in London on September 1, with personal terms already agreed. For all involved, it seemed only a matter of time before the England international would be unveiled as Liverpool’s final and newest signing of the window.
But as the day wore on, Palace’s situation became increasingly complicated. Their efforts to secure a replacement fell apart when Brighton’s Igor Julio, who had been earmarked as the man to fill the void, chose a loan move to West Ham United instead. That single decision had a domino effect one that ultimately stopped Guehi’s dream switch to Anfield in its tracks.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Parish admitted that the final decision to keep Guehi at Selhurst Park was not straightforward. But the club’s first-ever European campaign, combined with the financial realities of Premier League, made him rethink what Palace stood to lose.
“It’s a difficult decision,” Parish said. “It’s as simple as that these things are never black and white. I decided in the end, based on the advice that I got and with what I think, that we would have a better season if we kept Marc.”
“We don’t guess about these things. If you look at it rationally at what it’s worth to stay in the Premier League, and the fact we’re in the Conference League for the first time in our history this is a fairly unusual set of circumstances in which to keep a player.”
The decision was made after days of internal discussions between Parish, sporting director Dougie Freedman, and head coach Oliver Glasner. Glasner, who has transformed Palace since his arrival made it clear that losing his captain so late in the window would be a “huge blow” to his squad and could derail the momentum that had carried the club into Europe for the first time in their history.
For Parish, that collective sentiment coupled with the club’s broader ambitions made the choice to hold firm.
“If we were fighting between the difference of 10th and 14th, if that was going to be the difference between keeping Marc and letting Marc go, then probably we would have said right, ‘We should take the money,’” Parish admitted.
“But this season is different. The Conference League changes everything. For us, this is an opportunity we’ve never had before. You don’t do that by selling your captain the night before the season starts properly.”
Parish is known for running Palace with financial discipline, ensuring the club stays sustainable in an era of inflated transfer markets. But in this case, he viewed the footballing and emotional value of retaining Guehi as greater than the immediate profit.
“We’ve always been a club that tries to balance things properly,” Parish continued. “But there are moments where you have to look at what’s best for the football side what message it sends to the fans, the players, the staff. Keeping Marc felt right. We’ve worked hard for this moment, to be playing in Europe, and we want to make the most of it.”
Liverpool were disappointed but understood Palace’s position. The deal had progressed smoothly, and those close to negotiations insist relations between the two clubs remain positive. Jurgen Klopp’s side now managed by Arne Slot are expected to revisit their interest next summer, when Guehi will be available on a free transfer.
Guehi’s contract runs out at the end of the season, and from January 1, he will be eligible to discuss a pre-contract agreement with clubs outside of England.
For Palace, the risk of losing Guehi for nothing next summer was one Parish was willing to take. The guaranteed financial reward of a Premier League season plus the additional prize money and visibility of European football outweighed the £35 million on the table from Liverpool.
It’s a decision that speaks to the evolution of Crystal Palace as a club. In previous years, financial pragmatism might have dictated a different outcome. But under Glasner and with a Europa Conference League campaign ahead, Parish wanted to send a message that Palace are no longer content with simply surviving.
“Sometimes you have to make a call that’s not just about the numbers,” Parish reflected. “Sometimes it’s about what’s right for the club, for the manager, and for the fans. That’s what this decision was about.”
For now, Palace’s gamble appears to be paying off. Guehi has started the season strongly, marshalling the defence in both domestic and European competition. Whether he stays beyond next summer remains uncertain, but Parish is adamant the club made the right call.
“This is an extraordinary season for us,” he said. “We’ve got to embrace it, enjoy it, and give ourselves the best chance to succeed. Marc’s a big part of that.”
And while Liverpool may yet get their man a year later than planned, Parish’s decision ensured that Palace’s first European adventure began with their captain and their ambitions still intact.
