Marc Guehi is closing in on a move to Manchester City for £20 million, though he could have ended up at Chelsea this time last year. Enzo Maresca left his role as Chelsea manager in early January after a mutual agreement with the club.
Marc Guehi is closing in on a move to Manchester City for £20 million, though he could have ended up at Chelsea this time last year.
Enzo Maresca left his role as Chelsea manager in early January after a mutual agreement with the club.
Fans made their dissatisfaction clear during the Fulham match, directing chants toward Behdad Eghbali.
Liam Rosenior has since stepped in, and while the atmosphere has improved somewhat, there’s still plenty of uncertainty following the 3-2 defeat to Arsenal.
Even so, that result appears to have sped up plans for what promises to be a busy month for Rosenior, who needs reinforcements in central defence.
Enzo Maresca Turned Down a Move for Marc Guehi
Marc Guehi is another one that slipped away from Chelsea’s grasp, both in a transfer sense and as a former player.
This time, it wasn’t due to bad luck or timing but rather an internal decision by then-head coach Enzo Maresca.
According to Simon Phillips, the former Chelsea boss wasn’t convinced Guehi could fill the central centre-back role during the period when the Blues played with five at the back.
Following Dean Huijsen’s decision to join Real Madrid, Chelsea remained active in the centre-back market, aiming to bring in a player of starting-level quality.
The only defender identified internally as fitting that profile was Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace. However, Phillips states that Enzo Maresca wasn’t convinced he was the right fit for what they needed at that moment.
Marc Guehi’s Early Days at Chelsea
Marc Guehi joined Chelsea as a seven-year-old and spent 14 years at the club, establishing himself as one of their most accomplished youth prospects.
His debut came in a 7-1 EFL Cup win against Grimsby Town back in September of 2019. But things got tough, and he recognised he needed regular minutes. This resulted in him securing an 18-month loan to Swansea City, where he became one of the best defenders in the Championship.
After returning to Stamford Bridge, Guehi found himself behind Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, and Kurt Zouma in the pecking order. With limited opportunities available, he made the decision to move on.
Losing out on him will sting for Chelsea fans, especially since City are now offering him a reported £300k per week—a wage that would have been difficult for the Blues to match.
Category: General Sports
