Crystal Palace boss shuts down Guehi to Liverpool transfer - 'He has to stay!'

Liverpool remain keen to sign Marc Guehi before the summer transfer window closes on Monday night, but Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is desperate to keep his captain

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has begged the club hierarchy to reject any offer from Liverpool for Marc Guehi before the transfer window closes.

There are now just four days remaining until the summer transfer window shuts for business and Glasner is desperate to keep hold of his captain. Liverpool entered talks to sign the centre-back earlier this month but have so far been unwilling to meet Palace's £40million valuation.

Mirror Football understands that the Reds are confident of striking a deal for a lower price because Guehi has entered the final year of his contract and Palace chairman Steve Parish knows they can't afford to lose him for nothing next summer.

Guehi started as Palace drew 0-0 with Norwegian side Fredrikstad to qualify for the Conference League league phase on Thursday night and Glasner has now publicly contradicted Parish's statement due to concerns over signing potential replacements so late in the window.

"From my side, now it is Friday and the window closes on Monday, he has to [stay]," Glasner said in a press conference. "He has to, because I think it is not possible at the moment to find a Marc Guehi replacement, who can play straight [away] in the Premier League, being a starter for Crystal Palace, being consistent.

"When we see our foundation of the success we've had in the last couple of months, and also the foundation of going into the group stage (of the Conference League), is out defence. We had two clean sheets against Fredrikstad, we've had five games played with three clean sheets, we've conceded just one goal in the Premier League, so this is our foundation.

"Marc is a crucial part. He's the captain, an English international, he has the most Premier League experience in the whole back [line]. Getting now the right replacement, I think is almost impossible."

Asked about Guehi's focus, Glasner added: "I think he shows it in every game. He's focused and again, if Marc had said at one moment 'I want to leave Crystal Palace', the deal would have happened already weeks ago because of his situation.

"And there is nobody to blame for it - if a player is one year left on the contract and gives the signal 'I definitely want to leave' then a deal would happen in every single club. So Marc is fully committed to the team."

Palace have been looking for potential replacements, with Manchester City's Manuel Akanji and Monaco's Mohammed Salisu possibilities. They have also been linked with Rennes’ Jeremy Jacquet and Toulouse’s Jaydee Canvot, but Glasner is clearly not convinced.

Nevertheless, he could be overruled. Speaking after the 1-0 win over Fredrikstad last week, Parish told Channel 5: “If Marc wants to sign a new contract then he can stay! It’s a difficult situation. Everyone has to sell players to comply with the rules. That’s a situation that we will have to look at in the next 11 days.”