UEFA have announced that Crystal Palace have been demoted from the Europa League to the Conference League.
Palace’s fate rested on Lyon and whether their demotion to Ligue 2 for breaking financial rules would be held up after an appeal. Lyon won their appeal, meaning their top-flight status was restored and thus their place in next season’s Europa League.
A complex and messy situation involving the FA Cup winners and Lyon ultimately resulted in Palace losing their spot in next season’s Europa League with Nottingham Forest, who finished 7th in the Premier League, replacing the Eagles in that competition. Palace will appeal the decision and take their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Whilst all that goes on in the background, Palace, Forest and every other Premier League team and club across Europe are trying to shape their squads ahead of a new campaign. Newcastle United have finally been able to secure their first big money signing of the summer with the capture of Anthony Elanga from the City Ground - but what about their next step in the market?
Centre-back has been somewhere they have wanted to strengthen for a number of years as they spent the whole of last summer chasing Palace captain Marc Guehi’s signature. Ultimately, the Eagles stood strong and rejected all offers put their way for the Three Lions man.
A year on, though, and Guehi has entered the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park and with no extension in sight, Palace have a big decision to make. Keep him for another year and risk losing the defender on a free transfer or sell him now and lose their key man.
Whilst Newcastle’s interest in the defender may have waned in recent times, they have shown a willingness to complete deals if the price suits them. That could happen with Guehi if Palace gets itchy feet towards the end of summer.
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Liverpool have also been heavily-linked with a move for Guehi this summer. Ibrahima Konate’s contract at Anfield has less than a year to run and Guehi could be the Frenchman’s replacement on Merseyside.
Impacts of Crystal Palace’s UEFA ruling
Guehi’s future is currently of secondary importance to Palace whilst their appeals to UEFA rumble on in the background, but it is something that will creep up on them - and it may come to Newcastle United and Liverpool’s benefit. Competing in the Conference League, whilst it still marks Palace’s first ever jaunt into European competition, doesn’t have the same magic as the Europa League.
Guehi led Palace to an FA Cup triumph at Wembley and whilst he will undoubtedly love to wear the armband in Europe next season, all of Palace’s off field issues could make Newcastle United or Liverpool a more attractive destination for the former Chelsea man next season. Both will be playing in the Champions League and won a major trophy last season with dreams and aspirations of achieving even more success and silverware in the not too distant future.
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