Barcelona are now very keen on signing a Crystal Palace star who Oliver Glasner called "amazing" earlier this season.
Palace stars attracting interest ahead of January
Palace haven't been in the greatest form over the past few weeks, now on a three-game winless run in all competitions, and the 4-1 defeat against relegation-threatened Leeds United last time out is likely to be particularly concerning for Glasner.
However, the Eagles remain in a strong position to have a successful campaign, currently sitting just three points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea, and it is no surprise some of their star players are attracting interest ahead of the January transfer window.
Steve Parish & co are said to be preparing for life after Adam Wharton in 2026, with the midfielder being targeted by several clubs, including Manchester United, while Tottenham Hotspur were preparing a move for Jean-Philippe Mateta earlier this month.
Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta reacts
With Marc Guehi's contract set to expire at the end of the season, a number of top clubs are queuing up for the defender, and Real Madrid may even be willing to make a £35m bid in the January transfer window.
However, the Spanish heavyweights may have to fend off rival interest from bitter rivals Barcelona, according to a report from Spain (via Sport Witness), which suggests the La Liga side are now very keen on signing Guehi.
Indeed, the 25-year-old is described as Deco's 'most liked' centre-back target, with Barcelona aiming to bring in a new defender in 2026, following Iñigo Martínez’s move to Al-Nassr.
Aston Villa's Pau Torres is also of interest to Barca, but the Palace defender is the preferred option, and his future could be resolved soon, given that he is free to negotiate a move to a new club from the beginning of next month.
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The Wales international is a key target heading into the winter.
Losing "amazing" Guehi would be major blow for Palace
It is looking almost inevitable the Englishman will leave Crystal Palace in the summer at the latest, having been unwilling to sign a new deal, and it will be a tall order to find a solid replacement.
Glasner made it clear just how much he admires the Palace star earlier this season, describing him as "amazing", and he has been one of the manager's best-performing players this season.
In fact, the 26-time England international has been the Eagles' most consistent player in the Premier League, having averaged a 7.25 SofaScore match rating, and he got on the scoresheet in the 2-1 win against Fulham earlier this month.
Crystal Palace will be in a difficult position in January, as if they don't cash-in on Guehi, they will lose him for nothing at the end of the campaign, but sanctioning a departure could have a major impact on their chances of qualifying for Europe once again.