Chelsea's plan to sign defender Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace has hit a snag.
Guehi, 24, has emerged as a January target for the Blues amid their defensive injury problems. The England international spent 14 years at the club as a youngster, making two senior appearances before joining Swansea City in the Championship on loan.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is already without centre-backs Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile, while 18-year-old Josh Acheampong will make his first Premier League start on Saturday. In light of the situation and Guehi's rising share price, the Blues are keen to complete a swap deal with Trevoh Chalobah, who is already on loan at Palace.
But according to the Mail, this move could stall due to Chalobah's wages. The 25-year-old reportedly earns £80,000 a week at Stamford Bridge and while Palace could theoretically afford the same salary, they are wary of Chalobah demanding a pay rise when moving clubs.
Palace are open to signing Chalobah on a permanent basis but would prefer if Guehi were not involved in the deal. Chelsea could now be forced to pursue a deal without using Chalobah as a means to drive down the Eagles' asking price.
Guehi was valued at £70m in the summer transfer window as Newcastle made four bids, desperate to get their hands on him after an excellent 2024 European Championship campaign with England. Another option for Chelsea would be to bring Chalobah back from his season-long loan, although Palace boss Oliver Glasner would not be happy about that.
Glasner pointed out that league debutant Acheampong is not the only option available to Maresca, as well as the fact that Chelsea have recalled centre-back Aaron Anselmino from his loan at Boca Juniors. “I could see that there were (Axel) Disasi and Tosin (Adarabioyo) on the bench,” Glanser said after the teams' 1-1 draw on Saturday. “I don't know if you need (more) when you play with two.
“I just read that Anselmino is coming back, so they have five centre-backs. I don't know if they need eight, I don't know what they are planning. Trevoh is doing very well for us and we are planning with him.”
Regarding Geuhi's future, Glasner said: “I think so [he will stay]. Not a single player on our team came up to me and said [they] wants to leave. Nobody. Nobody who played all the games and all the minutes, like Marc, and none of the players who didn't play that many minutes. This is the most relevant part: what the player tells me.”
Maresca was asked about Chalobah's situation ahead of Saturday's FA Cup third round at home to League Two side Morecambe, to which the Chelsea boss replied: “Trev, we know him, he's a good player. At the moment he's a Crystal Palace player, so we'll see.”
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