Chelsea may miss out on “most in-demand” free transfer ever because of wage concerns | OneFootball

One of last summer’s biggest transfer stories was never really resolved, and will return in January and next summer.

Graeme Bailey has been writing about Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, and he claims that the defender is set for a huge move.

Guehi one of “most in demand” free transfers ever

Marc Guehi marshalls the Crystal Palace defence. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

“Marc Guehi is emerging as possibly one of the most in-demand Bosman free transfers of all time, there is not a major club in Europe that is not keen,” Bailey wrote in quotes picked up by CaughtOffside.

While Liverpool were the front runners all summer, and seemed to come within minutes of signing Guehi on deadline day, Bailey makes it clear that that will count for nothing when the window opens again. All the teams interested in either paying Palace for the defender in January or waiting to sign him on a free in the summer will have a level playing field – and there are no shortage of runners and riders in that field:

Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, and Inter Milan are named along with Chelsea as interested parties. Guehi, is called one of the most in demand free transfers for years, and that list of team pretty much confirms that.

“The slate has been wiped clean with Guehi. This is a new transfer. What has been done, said, or bid before is now forgotten. That is what I am being told. Every club wanting Guehi has started from the same place.”

Chelsea may be priced out of Guehi market by wage demands

Chelsea’s stance will be an interesting one. There’s no doubt they’ll be in for Guehi, who offers a really unique market opportunity as a peak age England international available on a free.

But with all that competition, the wage demands could get crazy, and Chelsea won’t break their new structure if they can help it.