Both clubs are recognized for their mutual interest and defensive prowess.
The reason for the fire that engulfed the Crystal Palace in November 1936 was never specifically determined. One day the great glass structure gleamed under the cold gaze of the low winter sun, the next it was a smoking pile of iron and charred debris. However, in the decades that followed, the general consensus was that the passage of years, combined with the lack of financial investment in repairs, left the palace in a bad state and not adequately prepared to survive such a severe disaster. The same can be said about Crystal Palace in 2024.
Roy Hodgson’s men are in trouble. A meager five points separate them from the bottom three and with just one Premier League win after Bonfire Night, the Eagles find themselves in a tailspin. Things got so bad that their supporters started handing out anger flags as a means of protest (which is basically what the Incredible Hulk is). Last weekend and during Arsenal’s 5-0 thrashing, one of the screens read: “Potential squeezed on and off the field, bad decisions set us back” Another noted: ” No common vision, no structured plan”
So Palace was caught between the proverbial rock and the proverbial hard place. Clearly, change is needed and fast. Relegation is becoming a more palpable threat every week and it seems inevitable that Hodgson will be relieved of his duties sooner rather than later. However, for his successor to succeed, the Eagles will have to spend money — and that’s where things get tough.
Palace is not properly beaten, especially with several clubs around them. Therefore, it is likely that they will have to sell some of their appreciated assets first. Of course, Michael Olise was forced to leave the club during the summer transfer window, while sidelined Cheick Doucoure was permanently linked with Liverpool before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury.
Perhaps the most widely speculated though is Marc Guehi. The English international continues to impress in the heart of defense and it seems only a matter of time before one of the traditional big six tears him away from Palace and#039; Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United have been mentioned as potential suitors, but centre-back and boyhood club Chelsea dominate many of the headlines. And that, dear reader, is quite interesting.
You see, in the last days near the Bluesand#039; Palace’s long-running pursuit of the former academy graduate is linked to their interest in Trevoh Chalobah, another product of the Cobham machine.
At the time of writing, Chalobah is widely expected to leave Chelsea in the near future. The defender has struggled a lot with injuries this season, but even when he’s as fit as Neville Longbottom, Mauricio Pochettino seems to have a real knack for misplacing Trevi. At the age of 24, he is not a regular starter at Stamford Bridge and if the grim look he projected from the terraces during the Blues’ 6-1 half-time demolition of Middlesbrough is anything but well aware of their diminished position.
But as the tired saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and some sort of Chalobah-Gueh swap could prove very beneficial to Palace and Chelsea.
In truth, no eagle in their right mind would welcome Guehiandi’s departure, but he somewhat conservatively estimates that Palace will be around £60m when he finally leaves Selhurst Park. . In September it was reported that Chelsea had accepted an offer of around £25 million for Chalobah from Nottingham Forest. Even if the two numbers match now – and in fact Guehi is probably more valuable and Chalobah less – Palace would lose their star defender but bring in a very capable replacement and an extra £35m. to compensate other members of your team. There are certainly worse offers.
From Chelsea’s perspective, they would be offloading a player they believe is superior, securing one of the most sought-after and promising talents in English football. If you look at it that way, it could end up being a win-win. And lord knows Palace need a win more than most right now..
