Newcastle transfer talks ‘positive and optimistic’ with deal ‘likely to happen’ for two reasons

Newcastle United and Crystal Palace are in ‘positive and optimistic’ talks over a deal to send Marc Guehi to St James’ Park, according to reports.

England international Guehi is now the Magpies’ top transfer target after landing William Osula, Lewis Hall, Lloyd Kelly and Odysseas Vlachodimos for a combined £58million.

Guehi is expected to cost that alone after a wonderful Premier League campaign for Crystal Palace was backed up by a very strong European Championship for his country.

The 24-year-old appears to be the ideal centre-back partner for Manchester City’s John Stones and still has his best years ahead of him.

He is one of many superb academy graduates sold by Chelsea in recent years, joining the Eagles for around £20m in 2021 after a successful 18 months on loan at Swansea City in the Championship.

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Guehi has made 111 appearances for Palace having only played twice for Chelsea’s first-team in 14 years at the club.

He is vice-captain at Selhurst Park behind stalwart Joel Ward, who is not Oliver Glasner’s first-choice right-wing-back, essentially making the England defender the club’s captain on the pitch.

That sort of leadership has caught the eye of Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, who is prioritising a new centre-back with Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman out injured until 2025.

Furthermore, Fabian Schar limping off in Saturday’s friendly win over Stade Brest was a reminder of the precarious defensive position the Geordies are in, though the injury is not thought to be serious.

Newcastle must ‘meet Crystal Palace in the middle’ to sign England star

According to iNews , there are ‘positive and optimistic’ talks taking place between Newcastle and Palace, with ‘a significant variation’ in valuations proving to be a hefty speedbump.

Howe’s side are reportedly willing to pay £50m, with the Eagles looking for closer to £60m. There is hope that they will ‘meet in the middle at £55m with achievable add-ons’.

The report adds that a transfer ‘feels likely to happen given Guehi’s interest in the move and personal terms as good as agreed’, with everything hinging on Newcastle’s willingness to pay a club-record transfer fee.

A source told iNews last week that this transfer window has “been the most difficult summer I’ve ever known”.

Speaking about the club’s summer business over the weekend, Howe said: “I’ve always said throughout my coaching career, money does not guarantee anything.

“My belief and philosophy has always been that it’s about the quality of your group, it’s about the unity you can generate.

“It’s about having a never-say-die spirit and money doesn’t buy you those things, it’s work and interactions with the players and a really tight-knit group that does.

“Of course it’s nice to evolve your team and have the further resources which we can’t really utilise currently. But I wouldn’t change it. I think the position we’re in currently, we have to make the best of what we have and I guarantee you we will work towards that.”

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