The Magpies were keen to land Euro 2024 star Marc Guehi in August but may get the chance to lure him north on much better terms
Newcastle United could be offered the chance to sign England international Marc Guehi for just £40million this summer.
Sources in the capital say that Guehi’s representatives have not made any progress on a new deal for the centre-back and the lack of a contract extension paves the way for an exit this summer. The Magpies put in a generous offer for Guehi last summer worth £70m but it was knocked back by Eagles supremo Steve Parish.
Now though, with Chelsea and Liverpool also monitoring developments, a knock down price for the star has been bandied around on the agent circuit. The danger for Palace will be expecting something close to the bumper package Newcastle put to them last August when the deal eventually fell through at the end of the window.
And another big concern for Palace will be Guehi running down his contract next summer and leaving for free. Through it all Guehi has been the model professional at Selhurst Park and helped guide the Eagles to the FA Cup final later this month against Manchester City.
Parish said last summer: “There is a price and a situation where we might consider it. Somebody said he is a superstar, so somebody has got to pay superstar money.
“Realistically, he is homegrown, 24 years old and a sensational talent – so somebody has to make it difficult for us. At the moment, it isn’t.”
But since then Oliver Glasner has also been given the green light to sell a couple of stars and reinvest at Palace. Glasner has done an incredible job at Palace despite a tough start.
A top 10 finish is still possible for the 12th placed Croydon side not to mention silverware in the FA Cup final. Guehi’s attitude in defeat at St James’ Park also impressed the watching Eddie Howe from afar as the head coach recovered from illness.
Magpies edge closer to CEO decision
United are edging closer to the interview process for the soon to be vacant CEO position. Darren Eales is working a notice period after being diagnosed with a chronic form of blood cancer.
Eales said earlier this year: “I’m doing well. I’m focused on that transition (to a new CEO) which is why I’m working my notice and made the statement I did.
“The ownership are doing the search for the new CEO and my focus is on business as usual and giving as smooth a transition as is possible for the new person coming in.”
One known candidate is Manchester United’s Collette Roche who has been at Old Trafford since 2018 but is expected to leave at the end of the season. Roche is well known to current Newcastle board members and deemed an outstanding candidate for the job.
Newcastle prepare for Lloyd Kelly farewell
Former Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly suffered a hamstring injury in Juventus’ 2-0 win over Monza last weekend. However, he is expected to recover before the end of the season.
The 26-year-old’s move to Juve is expected to be pushed through as planned for £20million with chiefs at the Turin club confident of achieving at least Europa Conference League football next season. A pivotal game for Juve is this Sunday night away to Bologna.
Victory for Juve would put a four-point gap between the two sides going into the run-in with Kelly’s current side fourth in the table. Juve then face games against Lazio, Udinese and Venezia which they hope will seal a place in Europe and be enough to offload Kelly from Newcastle’s books.
On Friday, Newcastle chiefs all but confirmed the deal was done at the Press conference at the club’s media centre. It is just a matter of when not if.
His exit will also shave off £150,000 per week in wages and save Newcastle £7.8m a year potentially in wages up until the expiry of the 2029 deal that he signed on Tyneside last summer.
