Crystal Palace transfer news: Chelsea starlet, Champions League defender ‘identified’ as potential Marc Guehi replacements

Crystal Palace have reportedly identified two potential replacements for captain Marc Guehi amidst uncertainty over his future at Selhurst Park.

The 25-year-old is out of contract in June 2026 and it is widely expected that the Eagles will lose their star defender either for a cut-price fee in January or for free in the summer.

Guehi was close to completing a £35m move to reigning Premier League champions Liverpool on the final day of the summer transfer window, only for Palace to pull the plug at the eleventh hour after they were unable to sign a replacement.

Chairman Steve Parish initially gave the green light to Guehi's late summer departure, as he was determined not to lose the England international on a free transfer, but head coach Oliver Glasner allegedly threatened to leave the club if his captain was sold.

Glasner has since revealed that Guehi was “a little bit disappointed” following the collapse of his deadline-day transfer to Liverpool, who are expected to reignite their interest in the ex-Chelsea defender in January now that new recruit Giovanni Leoni is ruled out for up to a year with an ACL injury.

Palace are now reaping the benefits of retaining the services of Guehi, who has played every minute for an Eagles side who have made an unbeaten to start to the new season in the Premier League and sit third in the table.

Guehi scored a superb goal in a 3-0 victory at Aston Villa before the international break and then provided the assist for Eddie Nketiah’s last-gasp winner in a 2-1 triumph against Liverpool at Selhurst Park last weekend.

Crystal Palace preparing for life without Guehi

While Guehi continues to behave in a professional manner and is focused on performing as well as he can for Palace, work is believed to be taking place behind the scenes to find a potential replacement for the defender.

According to The Sun, Palace are scouring the market for a new centre-back and have Sporting Lisbon star Ousmane Diomande on their radar, while Chelsea starlet Josh Acheampong is also being tracked.

The Eagles signed 19-year-old Jaydee Canvot from Toulouse in the summer, but he is considered as one for the future rather than an immediate ready-made replacement for Guehi.

Palace keeping tabs on Diomande, Acheampong

Palace allegedly explored an ambitious deal to sign Diomande early in the summer transfer window, but a move for the £45m-rated centre-back ultimately failed to materialise.

The 21-year-old Ivory Coast international developed into one of the most promising defender under the tutelage of former Sporting manager Ruben Amorim and he has since established himself as an important first-team player.

Diomande, who has previously been linked with the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid, is a two-time Primeira Liga champion, but he has only featured three times for Sporting so far this season due to injury.

As for 19-year-old Acheampong, he broke into Chelsea’s senior side in 2024 and has since featured 17 times under Enzo Maresca in all competitions, including seven Premier League outings.

The 6ft 3in centre-back, who still has four years remaining on his contract at Stamford Bridge, was handed his first and only start of the new season to date in a goalless stalemate with Crystal Palace on the opening weekend of the Premier League campaign.