Marc Guehi speaks ferocious as Crystal Palace chief Steve Parish's gamble backfires with Newcastle

Newcastle United stopped their pursuit of Marc Guehi after negotiations with Crystal Palace hit a standstill over the club’s financial demands.

Guehi, who has been a target for Newcastle, had a tough outing in a recent match against Leicester City, leading to some self-reflection from the player. Jamie Vardy, 13 years older than Guehi, managed to outpace the Crystal Palace defender with ease, opening the scoring for Leicester.

Guehi also found himself involved in the defensive lapse that allowed James Justin’s cross to reach Stephy Mavididi, who scored the Foxes’ second goal at Selhurst Park.

Despite Crystal Palace managing to salvage a point in the 2-2 draw, Guehi was quick to acknowledge his performance issues.

Speaking candidly after the game, he admitted that it had been a ‘tough day’ with ‘a lot of unforced errors.’ Reflecting on his own contribution, Guehi noted, “A bit of concentration for us, especially myself.

I think I can do a lot better. I need to do a lot better in helping the team and doing my job a little bit better.” He added that he puts a lot of pressure on himself and emphasized the need for improvement in his performances.

Guehi’s season got off to a rocky start, despite the high expectations following his impressive debut tournament at the Euros.

His form, however, has not lived up to the praise that came his way earlier in the year. Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish had even referred to him as a generational talent during interviews while Newcastle were in talks to sign the 24-year-old.

Parish’s valuation of Guehi as a future superstar was a bold move, considering the defender had less than two years left on his contract at the time.

Newcastle had shown serious interest in bringing Guehi to St. James’ Park, but the negotiations faltered as Crystal Palace continued to push for what they considered ‘superstar money.’

The Magpies were unwilling to meet the £70 million asking price, particularly as they felt it was excessive for a player with such limited time left on his contract. Although discussions between the two clubs continued for some time, Newcastle ultimately ceased formal bidding for Guehi several weeks before the summer transfer window closed.

The question now is whether Newcastle will revisit their interest in Guehi when the next transfer window opens in 2025. By then, the defender will have even less time remaining on his current deal, which may force Crystal Palace to reconsider their high valuation.

Parish, for his part, has indicated that Crystal Palace would prefer to sell players like Guehi to clubs with lofty ambitions like Newcastle. His comments suggest that a deal could still be on the table in the future, but only if Newcastle’s valuation aligns with what Crystal Palace is willing to accept.

For now, Guehi remains an integral part of the Crystal Palace defense, but his recent performances suggest that he will need to step up his game if he hopes to attract a club like Newcastle once again.

His candid admission of needing to improve could serve as a turning point in his season, but only time will tell if his form will recover to the level that once had clubs like Newcastle vying for his signature.

While Newcastle United has moved on from the Guehi transfer saga for the time being, the club’s ambitions remain high. With their recent successes in the transfer market, bringing in high-profile players such as Bruno Guimaraes, Alexander Isak, and Anthony Gordon, Newcastle has shown that they are more than capable of securing top talent when the terms are right.

Whether Guehi will be part of those future plans depends largely on how the rest of his season unfolds, and whether Crystal Palace adjusts their financial demands to a more reasonable level.

In the meantime, both Newcastle and Crystal Palace will continue to focus on their respective campaigns, with Guehi aiming to iron out the errors in his game and Newcastle keeping a close eye on potential future defensive reinforcements.

The Guehi transfer saga may be on hold for now, but the situation remains fluid, and the January transfer window or the summer of 2025 could bring new developments in this ongoing story.