Guehi to Reject Any Contract Extension Offers from Crystal Palace, Plans to Leave as Free Agent

Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi will reject any contract extension offers put forward by the club and plans to leave as a free agent next summer.

The 25-year-old English centre-back was left disappointed after failing to complete a move to Liverpool in the summer transfer window. Although Crystal Palace had accepted Liverpool’s £35 million offer, Guehi had passed his medical and agreed in principle to a five-year contract, he still waited for the deal to be finalized at Liverpool’s London office until the final moments of the transfer deadline—and the move ultimately fell through.

Currently, there are two possible paths for Guehi’s future: he can either sign a pre-contract agreement with overseas clubs next January, or wait until next summer to attempt a move to Anfield again.

Crystal Palace’s final decision to keep their captain stemmed from a heated discussion between manager Oliver Glasner and club chairman Steve Parish. Parish publicly stated last month that he “would never want to see a player leave on a free transfer”. Moreover, the club rejected offers exceeding £65 million for Guehi from Newcastle United last summer and Tottenham Hotspur last January.

There is widespread concern that if Guehi were sold without signing a suitable replacement, Glasner might resign. The 51-year-old Austrian coach’s contract with the club expires at the end of this season, and the possibility of a contract extension between the two parties has significantly decreased this summer.

Glasner has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the club’s slow progress in signing new players during the transfer window, especially as the team needs to strengthen its squad to cope with Europa Conference League matches. To make matters worse for him, two key players—Will Hughes and Cheick Doucouré—are set to be sidelined for the long term due to injuries, which has further exacerbated the team’s staffing crisis.