“Absolute Madness”- If the recent reports about Newcastle United and Marc Guehi are accurate, then the football world has gone crazy.
Newcastle United made multiple attempts to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace over the summer, ultimately increasing their initial offer by £25 million, only to see it rejected.
The Magpies began with a reported £55 million bid for the England centre-back, which eventually rose to around £70 million before they acknowledged that a deal was unlikely.
A £70 million transfer would have made Guehi Newcastle’s most expensive signing, surpassing the previous record of £63 million paid to Real Sociedad for Alexander Isak.
Despite the high stakes for a defender, TeamTalk now suggests that Newcastle is preparing an even larger £80 million bid for the 24-year-old, although his lackluster start to the season raises questions about the initial £55 million offer.
However, there is skepticism regarding this report, as it remains unclear whether Newcastle still holds an interest in Guehi or in negotiating with Crystal Palace after their summer dealings.
Moreover, with Guehi’s contract running down, Palace is likely aware that his value will decrease with each transfer window, meaning they may not achieve the price they initially hoped for, even with 18 months remaining on his deal.
The fees being discussed for Guehi have always seemed inflated. Newcastle’s original bid felt reasonable, but considering the so-called “Newcastle tax” and the “England international tax,” a figure around £65 million might be more justifiable, even if it still feels steep.
An £80 million fee for a defender seems excessive. While such deals have happened before, they were controversial then and remain so now.
Additionally, it is rumored that Guehi is interested in a move to Liverpool. If that happens, Newcastle could focus on finding another top-quality defender in Europe, similar to their successful acquisition of Sven Botman.
