Crystal Palace are enjoying their best run since the foundation of the club 119 years ago in 1905, following victories in each of their previous two competitive games, which won them the FA Cup and the Community Shield titles.
The Eagles have enjoyed unprecedented success under Oliver Glasner despite a considerably modest investment. Still, they will now face a daunting challenge of keeping their best players in the final weeks of the transfer window.
Arsenal and Liverpool are reportedly keen on Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi respectively, and the two England internationals are reportedly open to the moves.
The good news for Palace, however, is that neither is forcing a move away, unlikely what has become a trend for other players in recent windows. They have remained professionals, and leave the club to make the right calls.
Can Crystal Palace Weather The Storm?
Eberechi Eze has a release clause of £65 million, which is not far-fetched, but expires on the 15th of August. Although Arsenal may be reluctant to activate that, given that, they’ll be forced to pay the entire sum of money once.
However, if they can convince Palace to sell, then The Eagles may willingly negotiate, given the versatile player has just one year left on his current deal, and he is also 27.
Arsenal have reportedly held talks earlier in the summer, with Eze also keen on a return to the club after over a decade since he was released. The coming weeks will be decisive for all parties involved.
On Marc Guehi, Liverpool are even more desperate to add him to their options following the departure of Jarrel Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the summer, and the failure to tie down Ibrahima Konate on fresh terms.
The Frenchman is in the final year of his contract at the club, with reports already linking him with a move to Real Madrid. Liverpool will want Guehi this summer to build chemistry with Virgil van Dijk while phasing out Konate.
His contract also runs out next summer and Palace could be forced to accept Liverpool’s offers, in order not to lose him for free.A £29 million bid has reportedly been tabled, although it is believed that Liverpool will be willing to improve the offer if Palace becomes willing to sell.
With the long-awaited Community Shield game out of the way, Palace will now focus on sorting out the future of the duo, with the odds pointing to moves away from Selhurst Park this summer.
Kehinde-Hassan Afolabi
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Nice read