Marc Guehi deadline day move to Liverpool collapses in bizarre circumstances
The England international had already undergone a medical ahead of a £35million switch to Anfield
Marc Guehi was left frustrated on deadline day after Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish delayed talks over his proposed move to Liverpool – because he was attending a fitness class.
The England international had already undergone a medical ahead of a £35million switch to Anfield, with Liverpool confident of completing the deal before the window closed.
However, Palace pulled the plug at the last minute, unwilling to part with their captain after failing to secure an adequate replacement. Manager Oliver Glasner had even warned he would consider quitting if Guehi was sold.
The saga took a bizarre twist when Parish was unavailable to meet Guehi and his representatives until 6 p.m., as he was attending a class in Soho, central London.
According to BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel, this meant final discussions over the transfer were significantly delayed, leaving little time for progress.
Liverpool filed a deal sheet with the Premier League to extend the deadline by two hours, pushing it to 9 p.m., but at around 7:45 p.m. were informed the transfer was off.
The late timing not only prevented Palace from signing a replacement – despite attempts for Ousmane Diomande, Manuel Akanji and, late on, Igor Julio – but also left Guehi in limbo.
According to The Guardian’s Ed Aarons, Guehi is “extremely unhappy” with the club’s U-turn.
A farewell video had already been produced, and Liverpool officials were on standby to travel with the defender to Merseyside to finalise the move.
The collapse of the transfer has left the 25-year-old considering whether to relinquish the captaincy at Selhurst Park.
The decision has also been poorly received within the Palace squad, with several teammates sympathising with Guehi, who believes he handled the situation professionally – especially in contrast to the more disruptive transfer stances of players such as Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres, and Yoane Wissa.
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