Crystal Palace have confirmed the signing of Marc Guehi on a five-year deal from Chelsea for an undisclosed fee.
The 21-year-old defender enjoyed a breakthrough season on loan at Swansea City during the Welsh side’s 2020/21 campaign which saw them reach the Championship play-off final, losing to Brentford at Wembley.
In what has been seen as a bit of a shock move, Guehi will link-up with new Eagles boss Patrick Vieira in south east London and could make his debut for his new employers against his former club in the Premier League opener for both on August 14 at Stamford Bridge.
football.london understands that Guehi rejected fresh terms at Chelsea earlier this year and wasn’t keen on being loaned out once again and becoming embroiled in a cycle of loan deals which many youngsters at the club go through.
It is also understood that the Blues hold matching rights over any future move for Guehi, meaning that if he is subject of a transfer bid while at Palace then the Blues have the first refusal to match it.
Guehi becomes the second centre back, and second academy graduate from Cobham, to depart the club this summer.
Fikayo Tomori left Chelsea last month for AC Milan in a £25million deal and Guehi’s move to Palace isn’t costing the Eagles as much but it’s not far off.
Guehi has been with Chelsea since his days as an Under-8 and has gradually progressed through the Cobham academy system.
He represented the youth team as both an Under-15 and Under-16 schoolboy, before featuring regularly in the treble-winning Under-18 campaign in 2016/17.
As captain of England Under-17s, he was a runner up in the European Championships before going one better the year after, featuring in every game at the Under-17 World Cup later in the year and scoring in the 5-2 final victory against Spain.
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