Marc Guehi ‘happy’ as Newcastle transfer target put in awkward position amid elephant in room

Marc Guehi has insisted he is ‘happy’ at Crystal Palace as Newcastle United face a race against time to land their top target before the transfer window shuts on Friday.

Oliver Glasner has long grown tired of the saga – bemoaning how there has been ‘too much noise around the club and in the locker room’ – and the Crystal Palace boss readily admitted that he does not know what will happen with Guehi because ‘you never have any assurance until the window ends’. Given Crystal Palace’s lack of options at the back, following the sale of Joachim Andersen to Fulham, perhaps, it would be a surprise if Guehi did not lead his side out against Norwich City on Tuesday night, which would result in the England international being cup-tied.

Guehi is keen on a move to Newcastle, but the Crystal Palace captain is not the type of character who will push to leave after recognising what the Eagles have done for him in the last three years. That professionalism even led to Guehi being put up by Crystal Palace to speak to the BBC and Sky Sports earlier this month when the defender talked about how Selhurst Park was ‘an amazing place to be’.

Direct questions about Guehi’s future were unsurprisingly off-limits in those interviews even though chairman Steve Parish repeatedly addressed the matter during four separate chats with broadcasters in less than week. Despite the ongoing speculation about his future, it fell to Guehi to again front up and speak to the club’s in-house media channel following Crystal Palace’s 2-0 defeat against West Ham on Saturday and the 24-year-old was asked about being named skipper.

“It’s an honour,” he told Palace TV. “I’m happy and I’m glad. Learning off Joel [Ward]. Macca [James McArthur] that was here. Luka [Milivojevic]. Some really big names, big characters, so just glad to be leading the team out.”