Crystal Palace co-owner and chairman Steve Parish appears to have ruled out a January exit for Marc Guehi amid continued links to Liverpool.
Guehi, whose contract at Selhurst Park expires next summer, was set to complete a move to the Premier League champions having completed a medical and agreed a five-year deal.
Furthermore, Liverpool had submitted a deal sheet for the Eagles captain to ensure a move was finalised even after the summer transfer window had officially closed.
However, Palace pulled the plug on negotiations at the last minute as they could not find a suitable replacement for the 25-year-old, meaning they risk losing the England international for free.
Amid suggestions Liverpool will revisit their interest in Guehi in January, it is understood that they will instead wait until the defender is available on a free transfer next summer.
Though, there has been plenty of reports suggesting LaLiga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona have entered the race to sign Guehi’s, potentially testing Palace’s resolve with a cut-price January bid.
That said, in an interview with Men in Blazers, Parish has effectively hinted that Guehi will not be leaving in the winter transfer window.
“We needed to keep Marc because the difference between us having a stellar season and having a relegation-threatened season is us winning five games or not,” Parish explained.
“So the margins in the Premier League are very tight and you have to remember that Michael [Olise] has gone, we’re OK, Ebbs [Eberechi Eze] has gone, we’re OK, Wilfred [Zaha] went, we’re OK.
“There’s a limit to how much you can keep doing that before you break down the fabric of the team.”
Parish also added that Guehi, who started for Palace in their 3-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, has been “fine” about his summer move breaking down.
“It was a very marginal call,” Parish said. “Marc was great about it as a person.
“Liverpool made the offer. It was a massive club, he was obviously interested in going. But he was fine about it, staying, if that was the decision we made.
“Obviously it means all of the ball is in his court tremendously as a player and he’s got the choice of wherever he wants to go. It was a very difficult one but I think definitely the right one.”
