Crystal Palace 'shortlist' two stars as possible replacements for Newcastle United transfer target Marc Guehi

Crystal Palace have reportedly shortlisted two Premier League stars as possible replacements for Newcastle United transfer target Marc Guehi.

The Eagles are currently working hard to complete the signing of Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah and are expected to confirm the addition of the England Under-21 international over the next 24 hours. However, the Magpies pursuit of defender Guehi is still ongoing and there have been suggestions Newcastle are preparing one last offer for the former Chelsea man ahead of Friday’s transfer deadline. Whether that figure is close enough to Palace’s reported £70m demand for Guehi remains to be seen - but reports are suggesting the Selhurst Park club are shortlisting possible replacements for their in-demand centre-back.

Palace have been strongly linked with Wolfsburg defender Maxence Lacroix in recent days and negotiations between the two clubs are said to be ongoing. However, The Standard have claimed Oliver Glansner has also shortlisted Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah and Liverpool’s Joe Gomez as two other possible additions to his ranks. The report claims Palace are ‘brace for a fresh bid’ for Guehi from Newcastle and described the Magpies are ‘increasingly confident’ of securing a deal for a play who has emerged as their primary defensive target.

When asked about the move for Guehi on Tuesday morning, Magpies boss Eddie Howe said:  “I am not going to comment on individual players. There's no problem with backing or support. There never has been. It's the rules we're trying to abide by and every decision we make has a consequence for the future so we have got to make sure we are making wise decisions and not leaving ourselves in a vulnerable position again further down the line. That's why these decisions are complex. It's not quite as simple as being backed. There's backing there. Everyone wants the same result at the football club, but it's making the best decisions for the long-term.”

Gunners land former Magpies midfielder

Former Newcastle United midfielder Mikel Merino has completed a return to the Premier League after joining Arsenal in a deal worth an initial £27.4m.

The 28-times capped Spain international made 25 appearances during a one-year stay at St James Park after joining the Magpies on an initial loan deal from Borussia Dortmund during the summer of 2017 before making a permanent switch to Tyneside. However, the talented midfielder returned to Spain in a £9m move to Real Sociedad and became a Copa Del Rey winner during what would become a six-year stay with the Basque club. After helping Spain to their Euro 2024 Final win over England, Merino was linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium and that switch was officially completed on Tuesday afternoon.

Speaking to the Gunners website after completing the signing of the former Magpies midfielder, Arteta said: “Mikel is a player who will bring us huge quality with his experience and versatility. He has played at the top of the game at both club and international level for a number of seasons now. Mikel will make our squad significantly stronger, with his technical ability, together with his strong and positive character and personality. As we all saw in the summer, Mikel is also a winner, with his strong performances throughout the Euros helping Spain win the tournament. We are delighted to welcome Mikel and his family to the club and can’t wait to start working with him.”

The Magpies could face their former midfielder when Arsenal visit St James Park on the first weekend of November.