Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in pole position to sign Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi this summer.
Having been unable to break into the first team at Chelsea, Guehi was sold to the Eagles for a £20.5m fee in the summer of 2021, and he has made a name for himself at Selhurst Park.
The 22-year-old has scored four goals and provided one assist in 72 games for the Eagles, making 27 Premier League starts in the 2022-23 campaign.
Despite his tender age, Guehi has been trusted with the armband on eight occasions this season by Patrick Vieira, who was recently sacked following a 12-game winless run.
The centre-back should continue to play a prominent role under the returning Roy Hodgson until the end of the season, and the Eagles have him under contract until the summer of 2026.
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However, Palace would be unlikely to retain his services if they are relegated from the top flight, and according to Football Insider, Spurs have emerged as favourites for his signature.
The Lilywhites failed to bring in a new permanent centre-back last summer, but defensive reinforcements will likely be high on the club's agenda ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.
With Tottenham supposedly deciding against turning Clement Lenglet's loan deal from Barcelona into a permanent move, they are prioritising a left-sided centre-back, and Guehi fits the bill.
Palace could demand at least £50m and up to £60m to part ways with the England international if they remain in the top division, but the Eagles accept that they would be forced to sell at a lower price if they finish below the dotted line.
While Man United and Man City remain attentive to the situation, both clubs are only said to consider Guehi as an alternative to their big-name defensive targets, seemingly giving Tottenham a clear run at the 22-year-old.
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Guehi was on the books at Chelsea for 14 years between 2007 and 2021, but he made just two senior appearances for the Blues and was loaned out to Swansea City for 18 months between 2020 and 2021.
Any defensive incomings in the summer window at Tottenham will not be overseen by Antonio Conte, who left the club by mutual consent on Sunday evening.
The Italian left on an extremely sour note, having blasted his players for throwing away a two-goal lead in a 3-3 draw with basement side Southampton just before the international break.
However, Conte's former lieutenant Cristian Stellini remains at the club and has been placed in interim charge until the end of the season, with Ryan Mason acting as assistant head coach.
Stellini's first game as interim manager sees fourth-placed Tottenham - who sit just two points clear of Newcastle United having played two games more - travel to Everton on April 3.
Ben Knapton
