Crystal Palace brace for the possible departure of Marc Guéhi as interest intensifies ahead of the winter transfer window, and the club now considers Ousmane Diomande their leading target to reinforce the defence.
Guéhi’s name dominates transfer discussions across Europe. Clubs such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and Manchester United continue to track him closely, while Sky Sports states that Liverpool currently hold the strongest position to seal the deal.
With so many major clubs pursuing the England international of Ivorian origin, Palace now prepare for life after Guéhi.
The London club set their sights on Diomande, who plays for Sporting CP, and view the Ivorian centre-back as the ideal successor.
Palace have followed him for weeks and placed him at the top of their shortlist for January as they anticipate movement in the market.
Competition for the 21-year-old defender remains fierce. Many of the same clubs monitoring Guéhi — including Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Real Madrid — also follow Diomande’s progress.
Arsenal, Newcastle, and Galatasaray join the growing list of admirers.
Sporting CP hold a firm stance on their player. The Portuguese side demands at least €60 million to consider a sale, a figure that reflects Diomande’s rising profile.
His contract runs until June 2027, and Transfermarkt currently values him at €45 million. He earns an annual salary of €580,000.
Crystal Palace now face a race against several elite clubs as they try to secure a defender capable of anchoring their back line should Guéhi leave.
The coming weeks will determine whether the Eagles can convince Sporting to part ways with the Ivorian talent or whether another heavyweight steps in first.
