Arsenal and Manchester United set for £55m transfer battle over England star: report

Manchester United and Arsenal could be set to lock horns in the transfer market this summer in a battle for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.

According to The Times, the two Premier League rivals have scouted the England centre-back on several occasions this season ahead of a summer where they will both look to strengthen their defences.

Guehi has two years left on his current Palace contract and is valued at more than £55million by the club. The 23-year-old underwent knee surgery in February in an effort to ensure he would be in contention for England’s Euro 2024 squad, with Eagles boss Oliver Glasner saying last week he is hopeful the youngster will play again this season.

Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace (Image credit: Getty Images)

Manchester United see signing a defender as a priority this summer as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos team prepare for their first transfer window at the club following the billionaire’s minority purchase in the club earlier this year.

Should the Red Devils land the former Chelsea academy product, they would have to spend more than the £50million it cost them to land Palace’s right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka back in 2019.

Title-contenders Arsenal, meanwhile, may also be forced into the market for a new centre-back depending on Jakub Kiwior’s future, who has covered for Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back this term.

Guehi joined the Eagles in an £18million transfer from Chelsea in 2021, with the deal reportedly including sell-on clauses and the right to match any offer for Guehi in the future.

He has become a key player at Selhurst Park and also won nine England caps, the last of which came against North Macedonia last November. Glasner has said the defender is set to return to full training this week as he looks to book his seat on the plane to Germany with the Three Lions this summer.

Guehi came through the Chelsea academy (Image credit: Getty Images)

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