The incredible £35m January signing that could fire Chelsea to silverware this season after inconsistent start
Chelsea have struggled defensively in Levi Colwill’s absence and could potentially rectify this issue with a move for a former Cobham favourite
The phrase you don't know what you have until it's gone is often used to describe something like a failed relationship but it could very easily be used for Chelsea to describe the way that they, more than most clubs, allow young talent to move on too soon before discovering their full potential.
Mohamed Salah and Kevin de Bruyne are too prominent examples that dominated the Premier League for nearly a decade at Liverpool and Manchester City, respectively. Their spells at Chelsea’s rivals came after short stints in West London.
While if you focus directly on the club’s academy the likes of Declan Rice, Jamal Musiala, Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento are all examples of players to have fallen through the cracks at Cobham.
However, following a season-ending ACL injury to Levi Colwill and the Blues inconsistent start to the campaign, it’s fair to say that if there was one academy graduate the club would want back at this moment in time it’s likely to be Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, who is currently playing some of the best football of his career at Selhurst Park.
Chelsea sold Marc Guehi way too soon
Marc Guehi spent 14 years of his life at Chelsea. He joined the club’s academy in 2007 when he was just seven-years-old and flourished at each age group, winning a treble with the Under-18s in 2017 and a quadruple with the Under-18s a year later while winning the UEFA Youth League in the process.
He made the first team squad for the first time in 2019 and was named as an unused substitute several times in the Premier League, with his only two appearances both coming in the Carabao Cup against Grimsby Town and Manchester United.
Thomas Tuchel was the manager at the time, but after sending Guehi out on loan to Swansea City in the Championship on two occasions, simply couldn’t find a spot for the defender and sold him to Crystal Palace for a reported £18m. It was claimed at the time that Chelsea had sell-on clauses included in that deal along with an option to match any offers in the future. Despite transfer rumours nothing of any substance has ever materialized.
Tuchel is not entirely to blame for selling Guehi. After all, the club were European champions at the time, but if they knew what was about to unfold with Roman Abrahamovic leaving the club and the subsequent changes that followed, Chelsea almost certainly would have had a different decision.
Why Chelsea should look to re-sign Marc Guehi
Since joining Crystal Palace, Guehi’s game has gone from strength to strength and he’s now viewed as one of the best defenders not just in the Eagles team but also in the entire division.
Guehi, who captains Palace, has made 167 appearances for the Eagles, scored nine goals, contributed nine assists and helped the South London club to record their highest league finish and best overall points tally.
He’s also led the team to FA Cup glory, marking their first ever major cup triumph, has reached the final of Euro 2024 and has established himself as the first choice defender on the teamsheet of England, who ironically are managed by Tuchel, who allowed him to leave four years ago.
Guehi has handled himself excellently behind the scenes after being the subject of prolonged transfer saga in three successive windows. The first came when Newcastle put in several bids in 2024, the second came the following January when Tottenham put in an offer of £70m, and most notably the third saga hit the headlines this summer when Liverpool had a £35m offer accepted, only to see the deal fall down the wayside at the eleventh hour when Palace in a dramatic U-turn pulled the plug on negotiations.
The 25-year-old has handled himself impeccably during this period and unfazed is still playing some of his best ever football at Crystal Palace at this moment in time. However, he’s unlikely to remain at Selhurst Park beyond this season when his contract expires, meaning he could be available on a free this summer.
Liverpool are likely to re-enter the race in January despite their setback and the same could also apply to a number of top European sides like Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
Chelsea desperately need a defender after Levi Colwill’s recent ACL injury, and could benefit from signing a player of Guehi’s quality in the January window. It’s likely to be a tough deal to negotiate, given Palace’s desire to keep him and Liverpool’s prolonged interest in the player. But it’s worth noting that Guehi has an emotional connection to Chelsea based on his time with the club, already lives in London and would be almost guaranteed a regular starting spot at Stamford Bridge.