Crystal Palace captain Marc Guéhi has informed the club that he will leave at the end of the 2025-26 season, having declined an offer of a new contract, manager Oliver Glasner confirmed on Friday.
Guéhi’s current deal runs until 30 June 2026, which means he will be free to sign a pre-contract with a foreign club from 1 January 2026. The 25-year-old England international has been a key figure for the Eagles since his move from Chelsea in 2021, and his decision marks a significant turning point for both player and club.
Manager Glasner made the announcement ahead of Palace’s match at Selhurst Park, saying: “I think Marc has already told us that he won’t sign a new contract, so he will leave next year… The club wanted [him to stay], but he said: ‘No, I want to make something different.’”
The decision comes in the wake of a tumultuous summer for Guéhi and Crystal Palace. A £35 million move to Liverpool collapsed in August despite the defender undergoing a medical, after the club decided it could not replace him in time. Since then, talk of future interest from elite clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich has intensified.
For Palace, the immediate priority is managing the aftermath. With their captain committed to leaving, maintaining squad unity, performance levels and a clear recruitment strategy becomes urgent. Glasner hinted the club will decide their next move “together” and focus on how to navigate the remainder of the campaign.
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In the broader context, Guéhi’s announcement reflects a growing trend in the Premier League of players opting to let deals run down and depart on free transfers to maximize choice and leverage. For clubs like Palace, it forces a difficult choice: attempt a sale in January to avoid losing the player for nothing, or keep him through the season for continuity.
As a pillar of the Palace defence and their recent FA Cup success, Guéhi’s impending exit will test the club’s ability to replace leadership and talent without derailing progress. For Guéhi himself, embarking on a “different chapter” means stepping away from the only senior club he has known into the unknown of elite-club transfer speculation.