Steve Parish Breaks Silence After Nearly Selling Marc Guehi—But Not to Liverpool

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has opened up about the dramatic saga surrounding star centre-back Marc Guehi, whose contract expires at the end of the season, ruling out a January sale while confirming the player's likely departure on a free transfer in 2026[1].

During last summer's transfer window, Guehi was on the verge of a £35 million move to Liverpool, but Parish pulled the plug at the final hour. He admitted the financial offer wasn't worth the risk of weakening his squad mid-season, despite knowing Palace could lose Guehi for nothing come summer. "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, highlighting the razor-thin margins in the Premier League[1].

Palace have navigated key departures before—Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, and Wilfried Zaha all left, yet the team survived. Parish has no regrets over the "very marginal call," praising Guehi's professionalism: "Marc was great about it as a person[1]."

Suitors like Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Barcelona are circling for a pre-contract agreement, with reports of potential cut-price January bids. However, Parish appears firm against an early exit this window, even as he acknowledges Guehi's value both on and off the pitch[1]. A separate report notes Parish confirming sale talks, with Liverpool still monitoring closely[2].

Palace's pragmatic stance underscores their fight for survival and European contention. Guehi, the club captain, remains pivotal, but his future lies elsewhere, leaving fans bittersweet as Parish prioritizes short-term stability over immediate cash[1][2].

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