Crystal Palace head coach Oliver Glasner has confirmed that captain Marc Guehi will leave the club at the end of the season.
This news will be bringing an end to a five-year spell that has seen the defender rise from promising signing to one of the Premier League’s most reliable centre-backs.
The 25-year-old, who joined Palace from Chelsea in 2021, has informed club officials he will not be signing a new contract and intends to move on next year. Guehi’s current deal runs until June 2026, but Palace have been aware for several months that he has little interest in extending his stay at Selhurst Park.
Speaking on Friday, Glasner made the situation public for the first time.
“I think Marc has already told us that he doesn’t sign a new contract, so he will leave next year,” the Austrian coach said.
“And for us, it’s how we can deal with this situation? [What] is the best way to get this next step done? And that’s all about how we are talking together.”
Glasner’s comments brought confirmation to what had long been expected behind the scenes. Guehi, a model professional and current England international, has remained central to Palace’s plans this season, but his ambitions have always extended beyond south London.
Palace’s hierarchy had initially prepared for Guehi’s exit this past summer. The club was open to cashing in on their captain to avoid a repeat of what now looms losing him for free. Liverpool, newly crowned Premier League champions and seeking defensive reinforcements, emerged as the frontrunners.
Talks between the two clubs progressed quickly. Liverpool were prepared to pay £35 million upfront, and Guehi was said to be keen on the move to Anfield. However, Palace’s inability to find a replacement forced a dramatic last-minute reversal.
At around 4pm on transfer deadline day, Palace chairman Steve Parish made the call to pull the plug on the deal just three hours before the window shut.
Palace’s first-ever European qualification, and the desire to maintain squad stability for the new campaign, were key factors in the decision.
“The club wanted [him to stay]. They offered Marc a new contract. But he said, ‘no, I want to make something different’. And that’s normal,” Glasner later explained.
Behind the scenes, Liverpool were frustrated but understanding. The club had spent weeks negotiating and believed they had done enough to land the defender. But Palace, short on replacements and unwilling to weaken the spine of their team on the eve of a historic European campaign, felt they had no choice.
Palace now find themselves in a difficult position. Guehi’s professionalism means he is expected to remain fully committed for the rest of the campaign, but the reality is that the club’s most valuable asset will likely walk away for nothing next summer.
Selling him in January would generate income, yet it would also disrupt Glasner’s defensive plans midway through a demanding season. Palace remain in the Premier League’s mid-table pack and have ambitions of another deep run in Europe, making continuity in the backline vital.
That balance between sporting ambition and financial pragmatism will define the coming months.
For Liverpool, Guehi’s decision complicates an already challenging defensive situation. The Reds had made him their top target during the summer, seeing him as the perfect stylistic fit for Arne Slot’s system composed on the ball, strong in recovery, and homegrown.
Since that deal collapsed, Liverpool’s defensive depth has been tested. Giovanni Leoni’s long-term knee injury, ruling him out for the remainder of the season, has reopened internal discussions about whether to re-enter the market in January.
Officially, the club’s stance following the summer window was that there were “no plans to revive the deal in January”. But privately, the picture may now be shifting.
A renewed bid cannot be ruled out, particularly given Slot’s preference for stability and Guehi’s proven Premier League record. However, Palace are under no pressure to sell and would likely demand a significant premium to sanction an early exit.
Liverpool have also been linked with Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck in recent days, as they weigh up options ahead of a decisive run of fixtures including Sunday’s home clash with Manchester United at Anfield.
If Liverpool wait until next summer, they will no longer have a clear run at Guehi. By that point, the defender will be able to negotiate freely with foreign clubs, who can sign him on a pre-contract agreement from January 2026 with Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Real Madrid all reportedly monitoring the situation.
For Palace, losing Guehi for free would be a painful blow, particularly after rejecting Liverpool’s £35m bid just months ago. But the club maintain that the decision to keep him this season and ensure he leads them through their European adventure was the right one.
Chairman Steve Parish has made it clear that the decision was driven by ambition rather than finances.
For Palace supporters, his exit will mark the end of an era. For Liverpool and the rest of Europe’s elite, it represents an opportunity albeit one that may now come at a far higher price or free.
