Manchester United have been heavily linked with Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi and according to The Times, Arsenal are also interested in the centre-back.
As per the report, the two Premier League giants have scouted Guehi several times during the current season and for both of them, Marc Guehi is a very important target.
Manchester United will offload Varane and Lindelof in the summer so they need at least one or two new centre-backs for the 24/25 season. Arsenal, on the other hand, have relied on Gabriel and William Saliba this season and Mikel Arteta will look to strengthen that position during the upcoming transfer window.
The 23-year-old’s contract with the Eagles expires in 2026 and as per the rumours, Crystal Palace want at least €65 million to release the centre-back at the end of this season.
Can Marc Guehi be a success at Man United or Arsenal?
Marc Guehi has been with Palace since the 2021/22 season and to date, he’s played 108 games across all competitions.
The last two seasons were very good for the central defender but this campaign, he’s played in only 26 games for Palace. He’s been a regular starter for Crystal Palace since the beginning of the campaign but he’s been on the sidelines since February due to a knee surgery.
He’s hoping to be fit to play for England in the European Championship and if Manchester United or Arsenal can get him for around €55-60 million then he will be a great signing.
His current market value is €38 million and he has two months left on his deal which is why Palace will try and quote as high as possible. Guehi has been solid for Palace over the years but it is very hard to see him turn into a truly world-class defender in the coming years which is why paying a sky-high price for him does not make much sense.
As a backup to players like Saliba, Gabriel or Lisandro Martinez, Marc Guehi would do great but can he play consistently alongside them, we have our doubts.
The 23-year-old is very good with the ball at his feet but he’s not particularly great at making recoveries or interceptions. While he has lots of time to improve Man United and Arsenal will not want to bring in someone who takes two or three seasons to reach peak form. This is especially true in United’s case who have been terrible this season and instead of Guehi, someone like Jarrad Branthwaite will be a much more sensible choice.
As a backup, Marc Guehi will be a wonderful signing for Arsenal or Manchester United but we doubt if the former Chelsea academy graduate will want to be a bench-warmer at a top club next season.
