Crystal Palace are planning for a world without Marc Guehi and that could involve signing Arsenal-linked defender Jeremy Jacquet.
Guehi is into the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park and Eagles chairman Steve Parish has admitted that the club will have to cash in on him unless he signs a new deal.
Liverpool have long been keen on the England international but there remains a difference in the valuation of the centre-back between the Reds and Palace.
The Independent report that the Premier League champions are only willing to pay £35m for Guehi, while the Eagles want £45m for their captain.
Either figure appears to be a good feal for the defender who only turned 25 last month and may well be a starter for England at next year’s World Cup.
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The transfer stand-off looks set to continue and one or both clubs will have to budge to do a deal before deadline day on September 1.
Palace are looking at other options if Guehi is to leave, though, and Rennes defender Jacquet is high on their shopping list.
Who is Jeremy Jacquet?
The 20-year-old has quickly become very well regarded after an impressive loan spell at Clermont saw him recalled to Rennes, where he held down a first team place in the second half of last season.
He has still only made 12 appearances in Ligue 1, but the 6’2″ centre-back has caught the eye, with Arsenal reportedly interested in signing him this summer.
Reports in France stated that the young defender turned down an approach from the Gunners, preferring to continue his development at Rennes.
That could mean that a Crystal Palace pursuit of the Frenchman is going to be very tricky, although the Eagles will be able to offer the chance to play much more regularly than the Gunners.
The Independent’s report suggests Rennes would want around £35m for Jacquet, with Palace doing their best to receive more for Guehi than they would have to pay for the talented youngster.
After their brilliant FA Cup win and subsequent Community Shield success, there is every chance Palace could lose both Guehi and Eberechi Eze before the end of the transfer window.
Spurs close in on Eze
After links with Arsenal, Eze now looks likely to join Tottenham in the coming days for around £60m in total.
The Eagles have approached Leicester City over a deal for 21-year-old Bilal El Khannouss as a replacement for the England forward.
Despite the seemingly likely departures of Guehi and Eze, manager Oliver Glasner has tried to dampen transfer talk and insist both are committed to the Palace cause.
‘Ebs and Marc, there has been a lot of noise about these two players in the last week,’ Glasner told Match of the Day after an opening weekend draw with Chelsea.
‘Everyone could see the performances against Liverpool and today, they were 100 per cent aligned with this team and Crystal Palace.
‘As long as they are 100 per cent committed, they will play as they are so good. I watched them all week in training, I spoke to them almost daily, maybe more than my kids and wife, but it’s been worth it to talk to them. They didn’t just show they are great footballers, but they are great people and that’s what I expected.’
