Crystal Palace Delays £35m Marc Guehi Transfer to Liverpool Over Replacement Concerns

Liverpool's attempted £35 million transfer of Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi collapsed on transfer deadline day due to Palace's failure to secure a replacement defender. Although Guehi had agreed to a five-year contract with Liverpool and completed his medical, Palace chairman Steve Parish delayed crucial discussions until late in the day because he was attending a fitness class, resulting in less than an hour to finalize the deal. Palace manager Oliver Glasner threatened to resign if Guehi was sold without a suitable replacement, emphasizing the player's importance to the club's campaign. A loan deal for Brighton defender Igor Julio fell through at the last minute when Julio chose to join West Ham instead, leading Palace to block the transfer despite Liverpool submitting a deal sheet to extend the deadline. Guehi is reportedly very unhappy with Palace's reversal, having acted respectfully throughout the summer, while some teammates secured moves through more confrontational means. The breakdown of the transfer has drawn criticism, including accusations from Rio Ferdinand that Palace bullied their captain by preventing his move.