Newcastle Nears £40m Marc Guehi Deal as Crystal Palace Targets £40m Defender

Crystal Palace is preparing for the potential departure of key defender Marc Guehi, whose contract is entering its final year, by targeting Sporting CP's Ousmane Diomande as a possible replacement. Newcastle United remains interested in Guehi and may wait to negotiate a lower fee, with a £40-50 million valuation discussed, but face competition from clubs like Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona. Palace's interest in Diomande and other defensive targets like AC Milan's Strahinja Pavlovic reflects their ambition to strengthen the squad ahead of European competition next season. Additionally, Palace is in positive contract talks with striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, who has attracted interest from major clubs, including Manchester United. The club's European participation could give them an advantage in transfer negotiations, although UEFA's scrutiny over ownership links poses a potential challenge. Overall, the summer transfer window may see significant defensive reshuffling at Crystal Palace, with Newcastle looking to capitalize on the evolving situation to secure Guehi's signature.