Transfer options ranked: Marc Guehi should swerve Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal… | OneFootball

Marc Guehi is set to have his pick of clubs so we’ve gone through his options and concluded he should ignore Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal’s advances…

As one of the most in-demand free agents of 2026, the clamour around the Crystal Palace defender is intensifying, with at least one club tempted to pay now to cut the queue in summer.

Having so many choices can be bewildering. So, helpfully, we’ve ranked Guehi’s options for him. You’re welcome, fella. Just send us a postcard from the continent…

6) Chelsea

Guehi could come full circle and re-join the club that sold him to Palace. And that may seem an attractive prospect. But it is hard to make a case for the Blues ahead of their Academy graduate’s other options.

Chelsea are just a bit batsh*t, aren’t they? They have plenty of centre-backs among their 427 players but none that would keep Guehi out of the team. So he could feel assured if his place in Liam Rosenior’s starting XI.

But, Chelsea being Chelsea, that and a contract until the end of time might be his only guarantees. Guehi has nothing to prove to his boyhood club and at least five better options than retracing his first steps.

5) Arsenal

Reports in recent days suggest Arsenal are firmly in for Guehi, despite the depth already at their disposal. So Guehi would be right to wonder what Mikel Arteta has in mind.

All things being equal, Guehi is unlikely to shift William Saliba or Gabriel. There are plenty of minutes to go around, as Arsenal’s injuries have highlighted, but given his other options, would Guehi want to risk moving to the Emirates to act as first stand-in?

Perhaps the Gunners are anticipating a move for one of their current starters; that’s for Guehi to seek clarity on.

If he gets an answer he likes, sure, Arsenal would be attractive in the summer. Quite possibly – probably, even – he will be joining a title-winning team with seemingly little intent to rest on their laurels. And he gets to stay in London. Which may or may not be a factor.

4) Liverpool

Guehi was all set to join Liverpool last summer until the plug was pulled while he was undergoing his medical on deadline day. Only he can decide if the Reds remain as attractive as they were at the start of the season.

Some players might hold Liverpool’s lack of decisiveness against them – if they really wanted him, the chance was there all summer – but Guehi doesn’t seem to bear a grudge. Indeed, some reports suggest he’s still as willing as he was to head to Anfield.

But the landscape at Liverpool could be rather more clouded a year on from his collapsed move. Which manager will he be playing for? Who will he be playing alongside? Liverpool will likely need Guehi plus another centre-back, with their defensive ranks already stretched before Ibrahima Konate gets his own free agent move at the end of the current season.

Last summer, it seemed he was signing for the reigning champions and favourites to retain their crown. Next summer, Liverpool will be neither.

3) Manchester City

City seem to be the club most open to paying a fee to nip ahead of the other clubs hoping to bag a freebie in the summer. We’ll see just how motivated they feel in the next fortnight, but injuries to Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias mean we’re likely to see City get serious soon.

Palace were open to selling for £35million last summer, so with this being the last possible window for the Eagles to receive any fee, you would expect City to seek a discount on that figure. Around £25million seems fair, no?

If City and Palace find a sweet spot, Guehi could drop himself straight into a title race and, barring something mental, a Carabao Cup final.

So, in the short term, City would clearly appeal. But Guehi would be right to be wary. What will City look like after this summer? The team won’t change much but the manager might. Guehi might be looking for guarantees Pep Guardiola cannot give.

2) Real Madrid

Real’s interest seems a little more casual than others’ but we are told they are keen. And Real probably expect to simply be able to rock up and take Guehi if indeed the whim takes them this summer.

Guehi is only human. If Real make their move, it will take some restraint not to simply fall into Florentino Perez’s bony arms.

But once you get past the initial attraction, is it the right move?

Real could certainly use an oven-ready centre-back with Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba knocking on and Eder Militao having struggled with injuries. It is entirely possible that Real’s starting centre-backs next season would be signed from Bournemouth and Crystal Palace, which would have seemed mental not so long ago.

Which manager would Guehi be signing for? Alvaro Arbeloa, it would seem, but Real made no mention of how long they had in mind for Xabi Alonso, while speculation swirls over another change in the summer. Their dream manager is said to be lobbying for Guehi.

If Guehi is looking to land on solid ground, Madrid maybe isn’t for him. But you don’t join Real for stability and a simple life. Guehi could try his hand at the biggest club in the world, stink out the Bernabeu, and still have great options.

1) Bayern Munich

No doubt former team-mate Michael Olise and England captain Harry Kane would sell Bayern to Guehi, who would be guaranteed silverware and decent Champions League prospects at the Allianz Arena.

We can find no mention of Guehi discussing the prospect of playing abroad, but if he fancies sampling life in Europe, Bavaria is a bloody lovely spot to park up for a few seasons.

And playing for one of the Premier League’s best ever centre-backs in Vincent Kompany ought to appeal.

Bayern have an advantage over Guehi’s domestic suitors in that he can commit to them by way of a pre-contract agreement anytime now we’re into January. Bayern sporting director Max Eberl is said to be on the case, and Guehi’s agent is said to have held meetings in Munich.