Chelsea could make a shock mega move by re-signing England defender Marc Guehi.
Newcastle tried to sign the Crystal Palace centre-back last summer but were unable to get a deal over the line for Guehi worth £70 million. But Chelsea could now be tempted to return to a player they sold to Palace for £18m in 2021.
Chelsea are dealing with a growing injury list and are desperate for defensive reinforcements after defender Wesley Fofana was potentially ruled out for the rest of the season. Guehi is highly regarded by Chelsea, who have included a clause in the deal allowing them to match any offer from another club.
There is also a sell-on clause of up to 20 percent, but that would be complicated by the fact that Chelsea would be buying back their former player. Newcastle still remain interested, while Liverpool were heavily linked with him last summer but decided not to make a move for the England international.
Guehi now has 18 months left on his expiring contract and that could mean his transfer value also drops and a deal could help.
Palace chairman Steve Parish was confident they did not need to sell last summer and would not cut their valuation.
But with the contract expiring and clubs interested this month, Palace could face a new dilemma. However, it is still difficult to imagine Palace closing a deal this month and Chelsea will realistically have to wait until the summer as well.
Guehi's reputation has grown since last summer's European Championship, when his composure, leadership and quality on the ball made him one of the most sought-after defenders in the Premier League.
There will be no shortage of interest if he is available, but Chelsea could maintain an edge, even though going back for a player they sold is always going to cause debate if they end up having to pay three times as much to get him back.