Crystal Palace may have an important choice to make in the January transfer window, with it emerging that Real Madrid are lining up an offer for one of their standout players.
Palace pushing for European football:
Palace have made significant progress under Oliver Glasner, lifting the FA Cup for the first time in their history last season, which secured a spot in the Europa Conference League. They are now on track to potentially qualify for Europe once more.
The Eagles are soaring in the Premier League, currently placed fourth and moving into the Champions League positions after a 2-1 away triumph over Fulham in their most recent outing.
Adam Wharton delivered another excellent display, setting up Eddie Nketiah’s opener, with the midfielder drawing attention from Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool ahead of the January window.
Real Madrid have also previously been linked with Wharton, but he is not the only Crystal Palace player attracting interest from the Champions League giants. A report from Spain claims they are now preparing a €40m (£35m) bid for Marc Guehi.
Guehi has been pinpointed as the ideal reinforcement for the Spanish giants, who are seeking a new centre-back in January due to Éder Militão being sidelined for up to four months.
The Eagles will face a major decision next month, especially considering Glasner has already confirmed that Guehi intends to leave in 2026, and the club risk losing him for free in the summer.
Palace allowing Guehi to leave would be a huge gamble:
Palace have a genuine chance to achieve more history this campaign, sitting firmly in the Champions League spots, and losing their captain midway through the season could seriously hamper their hopes of a top-four finish.
The England defender has been Glasner’s most reliable performer in the Premier League this term, averaging a 7.40 SofaScore rating — the best in the squad.
The 25-year-old has registered 2.03 tackles per 90 minutes over the last year, putting him in the 87th percentile among centre-backs, while also showcasing his attacking contribution with two goals and three assists in the league.
Even though it may be tempting to accept a substantial January bid for Guehi, given his expected departure in the summer, Crystal Palace should reject any offers and retain the defender until the season concludes.