Chelsea defender Marc Guehi is expected to join Crystal Palace in the coming days after completing a medical at Selhurst Park.
football.london understands that the 21-year-old will sign a five-year deal with the Eagles after the two London clubs reached an agreement over his services.
Guehi impressed during a loan spell at Swansea City last season and is understood to have attracted plenty of interest from the Premier League, as well as from foreign clubs.
With just under two years remaining on his contract at Stamford Bridge, a decision over Guehi's future needed to be made - and it has, with the youngster set to call time on his spell with the club.
The defender, who is a product of the Blues academy system, could complete a transfer to the south London outfit in the coming days, but Chelsea could be making a mistake in letting him leave permanently.
That is if Frank Lampard's previous verdict on Guehi is anything to go by.
Guehi has featured just twice for Chelsea's first-team, both under Lampard, who was replaced by Thomas Tuchel earlier in 2021.
The second of those games, a 2-1 Carabao Cup defeat at home to Manchester United in October 2019, the young centre-back played the full 90 minutes as the Blues were knocked out of the competition.
Lampard said after the game that Guehi, as well as midfielder Billy Gilmour, impressed him in front of the Stamford Bridge faithful, showing the level he could get to against that calibre of opposition.
"I thought Billy [Gilmour] and Marc Guehi were both really good, Marc was as comfortable as anything," the former Blues boss said post-match to BBC Radio 5 Live.
"I have come away from tonight – obviously, we do not want to lose and we know where this is in the competition – but at the same time, there are lots of positives.
"In the bigger picture, Marc Guehi’s performance showed that he is more than comfortable at this level and Billy the same, he was bright.
"It was a tough first half for him because he was trying to get free, trying to be positive and it wasn’t quite happening for him in a way, but I am really pleased to see them both play so well."
Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, who came up the ranks in west London with Guehi, has also previously revealed just how difficult it is to play against his team-mate.
Gallagher, when asked in an England U21 "team-mates" video who the strongest player in the squad was, said: "Definitely Marc.
"You can't get round him and you can't move him, so it's definitely him."
Do you want an exclusive pre-season Chelsea preview - both in your inbox and through your letterbox? Head over here to find out more and secure your copy !
