Manchester United are reportedly lining up a £33m move for Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi, with the Red Devils said to be keen to sign the central defender during the January transfer window.
The 20-time English champions are well-stocked in the middle of their defence, but Jonny Evans, Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire could all leave Old Trafford on free transfers at the end of the campaign.
Evans and Lindelof are both expected to move on, but a 12-month extension could be activated in Maguire's deal depending on how the Englishman performs in the second half of the 2024-25 season.
Another centre-back is expected to move to Old Trafford next year, and according to Fichajes, Guehi is a leading target for Man United, with a deal potentially being explored during the January transfer window.
The report claims that Man United could make a £33m offer during the winter market, with the Red Devils looking to take advantage of the fact that Guehi's contract is due to expire in June 2026.
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Man United 'lining up January move for Guehi'
Guehi has again been a vital player for Palace during the 2024-25 campaign, making 17 appearances in all competitions, including 14 outings in the Premier League, scoring twice and registering one assist.
Palace beat Ipswich Town 1-0 in the Premier League on Tuesday night, but a difficult season to date has left the Eagles in 17th spot in the table, with the club in a relegation battle at this stage of the campaign.
Guehi is highly unlikely to sign a new deal at Selhurst Park, with Newcastle United also said to be admirers; the Magpies are thought to have made at least four offers for his services over the summer but were ultimately left frustrated.
Newcastle's highest bid is believed to have been in the region of £60m, but Palace co-owner and chairman Steve Parish said that "superstar money" would be required to sign the England international.
"We'd like to keep hold of him. There's a price and a situation where we might consider it," Parish told BBC Sport. "Somebody [in another interview] said he's a superstar, so somebody has got to pay superstar money.
"Realistically, homegrown, 24 years old, sensational talent, somebody has to make it difficult for us. At the moment it isn't. He'll still be at Crystal Palace at the moment, but it's not impossible.
"He is certainly not making anybody's life difficult, his agents are decent people. It's a very good situation. Whether he is here or not will make no difference to how he performs."
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Is a January deal for Guehi realistic?
For £33m, it is incredibly difficult to imagine Palace allowing Guehi to leave in January, with the Eagles set to be involved in a relegation battle this season.
Having rejected an offer of almost double that over the summer, it does appear that Man United would have to significantly increase their planned bid in order to stand a chance of securing the Englishman's services in the middle of the campaign.
A transfer next summer is much more likely, and it would be fascinating to see where Guehi would fit into Ruben Amorim's back three, especially with Leny Yoro now back to fitness, while Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez are also considered to be a part of the new manager's strongest side at Old Trafford.
Matt Law
