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Former Liverpool and Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has said Marc Guehi’s future should have been “sorted out much quicker” this summer, and said he feels sorry for the defender after his deadline-day switch to Anfield was scuppered.
Guehi had been on the verge of signing for Liverpool when his transfer was cancelled at the 11th hour following Igor Julio’s decision to join West Ham United over Palace. It left the Eagles without a replacement for the outgoing captain, who was forced to remain at Selhurst Park.
That’s despite Guehi beginning his medical ahead of a summer move and a deal sheet being submitted before the deadline. The England international is believed to be devastated by Monday’s events, particularly given his exemplary conduct in recent weeks.
Throughout the transfer saga, Guehi continued to represent Palace and has played in every minute of the club’s six games this season.
Hodgson, who worked with Guehi during both stints at the London club, said Guehi has ended up being the “loser in the situation”.
“I worked with him for a year-and-a-half," Hodgson told talkSPORT. “I found him an outstanding individual, not just an outstanding footballer. That's been shown quite clearly during this long, drawn-out saga.
“He's the person I feel really sorry for because if right at the beginning it had been made clear his task ahead would be to stay at Crystal Palace and there'd be no question he'd be leaving in the transfer window, then I'm sure he would have got his head around that.
“But having been led to believe sooner or later a deal would be done between the clubs, I guess that his head for the last period of time has been he was going to move. He's the loser in the situation.
“Palace should be the winner because he's such a good player and to have a player, captain and leader of that calibre should be advantageous.
“But it remains to be seen how upset he may have been by what's happened during these past few hours.
“I think the transfer situation could have been sorted out much quicker between both clubs.”
Liverpool had agreed a £35million ($47M) fee for Guehi and could return with a fresh bid in January. Alternatively, the Reds may look to sign the ex-Chelsea defender for free next summer when his contract expires.
But Hodgson has warned that Guehi could extend his contract at Palace beyond the summer, when his current deal expires.
“Anything is possible,” he said. “We did that for years with Wilfried Zaha. But of course, the problem with that, and Steve (Parish) tells me privately he regretted that his wages put him on such a pedestal at the club, partly because it meant the wage bill of the club went up enormously.”
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