Marc Guéhi’s name has been firmly planted in FC Barcelona’s long-term defensive plans for months, but the path that once looked promising is now losing momentum. As the English centerback approaches the final stretch of his contract with Crystal Palace, the market around him is heating up fast, and Barça appear increasingly cautious about staying in the race.
The Catalan club have reportedly tracked Guéhi closely and even held meetings with his representatives earlier in the season. He ticked many
boxes: age, experience at Premier League level, and international pedigree with England. According to Mundo Deportivo, however, negotiations stalled some time ago due to a significant gap between Barcelona’s salary structure and the player’s financial expectations. With no recent contact between the parties, the operation has effectively cooled.
Crystal Palace, for their part, are already planning for life without their captain. The London club turned down a 40 million euro offer in the summer, fully aware that Guéhi is now set to leave on a free next summer. From January onward, he is free to negotiate with foreign clubs, and there is said to be little appetite on either side to delay a decision.
Those clubs are not hard to identify. Liverpool remain one of the strongest contenders. According to Sky Sports, the Reds have maintained a so-called gentleman’s agreement with the defender after a previous move collapsed. Their main dilemma is timing: wait until summer to sign him for free, or attempt to strike a deal with Palace earlier to avoid competition.
Bayern Munich are also well positioned, with German sources suggesting they are prepared to offer a salary package well beyond what Barcelona can currently afford. Manchester City have joined the conversation too, with reports in England indicating Pep Guardiola’s side see Guéhi as a potential leader in a defensive rebuild next season.
Despite the financial obstacles, Guéhi remains highly rated inside Barcelona. Earlier reports said that sporting director Deco considers him one of the best possible fits for the club’s future defence, especially with Andreas Christensen sidelined for months and Iñigo Martínez having left for Saudi Arabia. Barça’s priority, though, is clearly the summer window, when they intend to sign a top-level centerback without compromising their economic balance.
That wider strategy explains why Barcelona are also monitoring other elite defenders whose contracts expire in 2026, such as Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konaté, while keeping an eye on longer-term targets like Joško Gvardiol and Alessandro Bastoni.
