Revealed: How Crystal Palace plan to replace Marc Guehi after selling defender to Man City amid Jean-Philippe Mateta exit bombshell

In a new story from The i Paper, Palace are believed to be scouring the market to try and find a suitable replacement for Guehi ahead of the transfer window closing on Monday, 2 February.

The report claims Oliver Glasner’s side are considering a number of short-term options to cover the loss of Guehi, who joined Pep Guardiola’s City last week in a deal reportedly worth over £20 million (€23m/27m).

Palace chiefs are understood to prefer using the money earned from Guehi’s sale in the summer transfer window, therefore the club are leaning towards making a stop-gap addition this month.

The south Londoners have made one new signing in January so far, with Wales international Brennan Johnson having arrived in a club-record £35m deal from Tottenham Hotspur.

The iPaper also claim Palace are looking to strengthen up front before the January window closes, amid the uncertain future of star striker Mateta, who is believed to have submitted a formal transfer request.

France forward Mateta, who is out of contract in the summer of 2027, is believed to have told Palace officials they lack ambition, according to a separate report in The Times, and that he wants to leave this month.

The 28-year-old, who is reportedly wanted by Serie A giants Juventus, believes his current £55,000-a-week wages do not match his status as one of Palace’s best players, with the attacker having scored 48 goals in 149 appearances for the club.

Highly-rated Angers striker Sidiki Cherif remains Palace’s top attacking target, report The i Paper, though discussions between the two clubs are not believed to be advanced.

The 19-year-old Cherif is also believed to be attracting interest from Championship side Wrexham, with the club’s ambitious Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac reportedly ready to launch a club-record £19m offer.

Palace manager Glasner revealed last week that Mateta will be allowed to leave if the club receive a suitable offer for his services.

“It’s the same [as Guehi],” the Austrian said of Mateta. “There will be a price that Crystal Palace [accept], with 18 months left on his contract. We’d do the deal, if JP wants. If nobody pays that price, then he will stay.”

The news that Mateta is keen to follow Guehi out of the exit door comes after Glasner also announced he will leave Palace when his contract expires at the end of the season.

"A decision has already been taken, months ago,” the former Eintracht Frankfurt manager - who has been linked with Manchester United - said. “I had a meeting with Steve (Parish, Palace’s owner) in October, the international break. 

“We had a very long talk, and I told him: ‘I will not sign a new contract.’ We agreed at the time it was best to keep it between us. It’s the best that we could do that and keep it confidential for three months. 

“But now it’s important to have ­clarity, and we had a very busy schedule so that’s why we didn’t want to talk about it. Steve and I want the best for Crystal Palace.”

Following the Premier League defeat against high-flying Sunderland last Saturday, Glasner said he and the Palace squad feel they have been "abandoned" by the board this season.

While speculation continues to swirl regarding Palace’s transfer plans, the club are looking to put an end to their 10-game winless run in all competitions when they entertain Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

Following their worrying run of form, Glasner’s men have slipped to 13th in the league table, 11 points above 18th-placed West Ham United.

Palace - who won their first major honour with victory in last season’s FA Cup final - suffered one of the biggest shocks in the competition’s history when they lost to sixth-tier Macclesfield 2-1 on 10 January.