Chelsea’s initial move for Marc Guehi stumbled owing to concerns over the overall cost of bringing the Crystal Palace captain to Stamford Bridge.
Initial high-level talks over a potential return for Guehi, who started his career at Stamford Bridge, to return to Chelsea were held in early January and have been ongoing and today Mail Sport can take you inside those discussions.
It was established that Palace would look for a fee of around £60million for the England international, who has just 18 months to run on his contract.
There was a feeling that an offer of between £45m-£50m would have been enough to coax Palace to the negotiating table.
Chelsea are well-placed to launch a move Guehi. In selling the defender to Palace for £18million in 2021, Chelsea included a 20 percent sell-on clause and rights to match any transfer offer for the rival club.
Crucially, the sell-on clause was viewed as a vital component in any move for Guehi, with the contractual quirk enabling Chelsea to effectively secure a discount on the defender’s transfer fee.
High-level talks over a potential return for Marc Guehi to Chelsea were held this month
Chelsea included a 20 per cent sell-on clause when they sold Guehi to Crystal Palace in 2021
The Blues have given serious consideration to launching a swoop for Guehi this month
For instance, if Chelsea had agreed a £50m fee for the 24-year-old, the Stamford Bridge side would have been entitled to a £10m discount, bringing the price down to just £40m.
That, understandably, is not an ideal scenario for Palace as they aim to get as much as possible for their prized asset.
While there were suggestions that Chelsea may agree to waive the sell-on clause to simplify negotiations, Palace’s move to set an asking price not far removed from the £70m they’d demanded from Newcastle in the summer is likely to have factored in the ‘discount’.
Despite the cost, Chelsea have given serious consideration to launching a swoop for Guehi this month, with the player believed to be aware of the interest in him from his ex-employers.
Trevoh Chalobah, who was on a loan spell at Palace, emerged as a pawn in talks between the two sides. Chelsea were keen to use Chalobah as a makeweight in any agreement for Guehi with a view to lowering their cash outlay. The Blues also raised the prospect of recalling Chalobah instead of fully pursuing Guehi as Chelsea assessed every available option following the serious injury suffered by Wesley Fofana.
But in addition to the transfer fee, Chalobah included or not, Chelsea learned that Guehi’s wages would be around £170,000 a week, which given the salary structure implemented in the Todd Boehly/Clearlake era would make the centre back one of the best paid players at the club.
Chelsea have been open to selling players this month with a view to funding their interest in Guehi, with Renato Veiga and Axel Disasi among the defenders the Blues are listening to offers on.
Axel Disasi is among the players Chelsea are open to selling to help fund their interest in Guehi
Trevoh Chalobah, who was on a loan spell at Palace, was a pawn in talks between the sides
Chelsea’s decision this week to recall Chalobah has frustrated high-ranking officials at Palace
But, ultimately, the cost of any successful move has proved prohibitive for Chelsea so far, with well-placed sources insisting the west London side will shelve their interest unless the asking price comes down.
Relations between Palace and Chelsea are understood to have remained amicable, though Chelsea’s decision this week to recall Chalobah from his season-long loan spell at Selhurst Park has frustrated high-ranking officials at the south London club.
Indeed, senior Palace officials were unaware on Wednesday as news of Chelsea’s decision to recall Chalobah from his loan deal broke.
Prominent executives at Selhurst, whilst knowing Chelsea had raised the possibility of recalling Chalobah during talks over Guehi, were caught on the hop over their London rivals’ final decision to cut Chalobah’s loan deal short following the injury suffered by Wesley Fofana.
In a further twist, well-placed sources have told Mail Sport that Chelsea officials spoke to their Palace counterparts very late on Saturday night – just hours before Chalobah was in line to play against Stockport – to inform them that he could not feature.
Oliver Glasner, the Palace head coach, said after the FA Cup win over the League One outfit: ‘It’s not easy to explain.
‘It was a contractual issue – we had to take care. This is why he didn’t play. I’m not a lawyer, but I was told that in this round, it was better for him not to play.
‘I found out yesterday evening. It was internal (there was no contact from Chelsea).’
Palace boss Oliver Glasner revealed Chalobah had been unable to feature in the FA Cup
A new role for Myles Lewis-Skelly
The potential exits of Thomas Partey and Jorginho at Arsenal ahead of next season is set to open the door to Myles Lewis-Skelly to handed opportunities in central midfield.
The academy graduate, only 18, has been a revelation for Gunners filling in at left back this season. Yet, the teenager came through the ranks at Arsenal as a central midfielder and Mail Sport understands Lewis-Skelly will be handed more chances to play in his natural position next season.
Partey and Jorginho are both out of contract in the summer and there is every chance both will leave the club, though sources are adamant no final decision on their futures have been made.
As Mail Sport revealed earlier this week, Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi is expected to arrive in the summer for £51million to bolster Mikel Arteta’s midfield options.
And Lewis-Skelly is also in line to become one of Arsenal’s midfield alternatives alongside Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard.
Myles Lewis-Skelly will be handed more chances as a central midfielder next season
Thomas Partey and Jorginho’s potential exits could present an opportunity for Lewis-Skelly
Lopetegui’s demand to conduct media duties
Julen Lopetegui fiercely demanded clearance to conduct his usual pre-match press conference last week – just hours before he was sacked by West Ham.
The Spaniard was relieved of his duties at the London Stadium last Wednesday after just eight months in charge following a difficult start to the season, which was complicated by a fractious relationship with sporting director Tim Steidten and members of the playing squad.
But Lopetegui, despite his then imminent sacking being one the biggest unkept secrets in English football, pleaded with club officials to allow him to take his pre-match media briefing on Wednesday afternoon ahead of the FA Cup tie at Aston Villa as normal.
Much to 58-year-old’s disappointment, however, the club stuck to their original decision to scrap the media briefing ahead of the the former Wolves’ manager’s sacking later that day.
Julen Lopetegui was denied the chance to address the media prior to his West Ham sacking
Walker suitors eye cut-price deal
Clubs interested in Manchester City captain Kyle Walker are hopeful they can land the defender on the cheap this month following Pep Guardiola’s public revelation that the full back wants to leave.
There was some surprise this week from outside the Etihad Stadium that Guardiola went public with news that Walker had asked to leave the club.
AC Milan, Inter Milan and clubs from the Saudi Pro League have been linked with Walker this month.
And clubs keen on Walker are optimistic that they can get the right back on a cut-price deal and want to use the City head coach’s comments as bargaining tool; believing the remarks indicate that Walker has no future at all at the club moving forward.
Clubs interested in Kyle Walker hope to be able to strike a cut-price deal with Man City
Clubs are looking to use Pep Guardiola’s public comments on Walker as a bargaining tool
Owners make urgent checks amid Los Angeles fires
Premier League owners have been making urgent checks on loved ones feared caught in the frightening fires in Los Angeles.
Eleven of the 20 top-flight clubs have levels of American ownership and Mail Sport has learned that a number of executives have made frantic calls to ensure friends and family are safe.
It was reported on Wednesday that 25 people have died, with at least two dozen still missing, as a result of the disaster, while properties have been destroyed.
Premier League owners make checks on loved ones amid the frightening fires in Los Angeles
Gabriel Jesus ACL injury scuppers sale plans
Arsenal’s move to sell Gabriel Jesus this summer look to have been scuppered by his ACL injury.
The club would have listened to offers for the Brazil international in the summer ahead of what will be a significant spend on players, that will include a move for Real Sociedad midfielder Zubimendi.
But those plans now look over after Arsenal confirmed he would undergo surgery after sustaining the serious injury in the loss to Manchester United on Sunday.
Such injuries can take as long as year to recover from meaning the notion of selling Jesus this summer are very likely to be shelved as the club focus their efforts on his recovery.
Arsenal’s move to sell Gabriel Jesus this summer have been scuppered by his ACL injury
