Sources: Newcastle United told £60m bid would seal Marc Guehi deal
Newcastle United are interested in a potential summer move for Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi, sources have told Football Insider.
Magpies boss Eddie Howe is keen to bolster his side after securing Champions League qualification for the upcoming season.
He wants more strength in depth as Newcastle look to build on the fourth-place finish achieved in the 2022-23 campaign.
Guehi, 22, has been identified as a potential target for the Tynesiders after another stellar season at Crystal Palace.
However, it is believed the south London side are asking for a fee of around £60million for his services – a price tag which could dictate his future.
It is believed Guehi’s recent England breakthrough has meant Palace have hiked his price and are now asking for top dollar.
The Chelsea academy product made his Three Lions debut in March 2022 and has gone on to make four appearances for Gareth Southgate’s side – including in last month’s qualifier win over Malta.
Guehi missed just one of Crystal Palace’s Premier League fixtures last term and even captained the side on various occasions despite his tender age.
He has recorded 82 appearances in a Palace shirt since joining the club from Chelsea for a reported £20million in 2021.
The Ivory Coast-born defender earns a reported £50,000-a-week on a contract which is set to run until June 2026.
Guehi is just one of the names on Newcastle’s shortlist as they vie to upgrade their defence this summer.
Football Insider revealed on Monday (3 July) that the Magpies are also exploring a potential summer move for Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio.
Inacio has a release clause in his contract worth €60million (£51.5million).
READ MORE:
Popovic talks Terry Venables, Steve Bruce and more
Tony Popovic’s start to life in south London was far from ideal, as our former centre-back and current Melbourne Victory manager – who celebrates his 50th birthday today (4th July) – revealed to Palace TV back in 2020.
The start is always difficult because you’ve got to adapt,” he says. “I was having issues with my work permit, as I was really on the border of having enough games to qualify [for a work permit] so I didn’t start the season and I had missed the pre-season.”
Despite being unable to kick a ball in a professional capacity for the Eagles, Popovic liked what he saw from afar: “Just in that period [of being unable to play] and seeing the professionalism of the club and with Steve Bruce having been a defender who played at the very highest level with Manchester United, really enticed me to take that option when it became available.”
It was in fact a former Palace manager who loosely played a part in Popovic heading to south London: Terry Venables.
Venables had a stint as manager of Australia at a time when Popovic was beginning to make his mark with the Socceroos. Having a former England and Barcelona manager in the dugout helped put footballing eyes on Popovic’s homeland.
“I had him [Terry Venables] for a short period when I was just breaking into the national team.
“The profile [of Australian football] was growing and having Terry Venables as the Head Coach really lifted the profile.
“Worldwide we were accepted more as a footballing nation; as nation that was evolving. I think we’ve just grown from strength-to-strength from there.”
Popovic had plenty more to say on Michael Hughes, his and Dougie Freedman’s coaching badges and, of course, the 2004 play-off run.
Watch the full interview above and reminisce with our former assistant manager and player.
