Simon Jordan and Martin O'Neil. Picture: talkSPORT/ Youtubeplaceholder image
Simon Jordan and Martin O'Neil. Picture: talkSPORT/ Youtube | talkSPORT/ Youtube
Liverpool have Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi on their radar during the summer transfer window.
Crystal Palace have been told to cash in on Liverpool target Marc Guehi rather than risk losing him on a free transfer.
Liverpool need competition and cover for Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, who were the favoured pair in last season’s Premier League title triumph. Guehi has enjoyed four magnificent seasons at Palace since being signed from Chelsea for £18 million in 2021. He is a regular England international, starting the Euro 2024 final loss to Spain, and skippered the Eagles to FA Cup glory for the first time in the club’s history.
Palace resisted offers of up to £65 million from Newcastle United last summer, as well as a £70 million offer made by Tottenham during the January transfer window. But former Eagles owner Jordan believes that now is the time for Guehi to be told - and the defender will want to join Liverpool.
What’s been said
Speaking on talkSPORT, Jordan said: “That's the downside of being involved in a business where people covet what you have. It's the order of events in football and you're not going to change it.
“When you're comparing it to Liverpool and iconic football clubs, it's not a fair comparison. Palace can take players from Leicester because they're in the Championship and won the Premier League 10 years ago. If you compare clubs on an equal footing and the club goes to a club on an equal football, then you start to say that the club has got a problem and it's not a very sexy club to be at. When Liverpool come knocking as a top footballer, the Premier League champions, you say: 'I'll have a bit of that, thank you very much'.
“Sell him unless you can tie him down - you're not going to tie him down, are you? They took the roll of the dice last year, they didn’t take Newcastle’s money in so far as Newcastle really offered it and it was on the nail and all that sort of stuff.
“Now they’re against the clock. So what do you get? You get nothing? And then you’ve got to go and buy a new centre-back. So you might as well sell him. Glasner won't be thrilled with that but it doesn't look like you're going to tie him down.”
‘He doesn’t want to stay’
Former Aston Villa and Celtic manager Martin O’Neil believes that despite Palace winning the FA Cup, they’ll have a stern task keeping their prized assets. He added: “They are a big football club but lots of teams can’t keep their top players and I’m in total agreement with Simon. Lots of clubs outside the top six have the capabilities, and I’m talking about the financial capabilities, of staying in this league.
“Every season is a test for the other teams. There is no such thing as a side that has spent five, six or seven years who’ve been in the Premier League being guaranteed the following year. It’ll be a test for them again next season. If they don’t get off to a good start, it might be a struggle.
“He doesn’t want to stay, it looks like like he’ll see his contract through, that’s his prerogative but if you think you can get some money for him, that’s something you have to do.”
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