AS: Gueye is staying away from Real Madrid, Liverpool and Bayern are in the lead

AS reported that Mark Guey is staying away from Spain. The Premier League central defender is making plans for his future. He is more inclined to join one of the "six giants" in the Premier League rather than going to the Spanish capital.

Liverpool is the favorite to sign him, but the transfer fee will not be cheap. His price at Crystal Palace rises with every game. He didn't want to miss this great opportunity.

The reason why Guey has such a large room for operation is that he is about to become a free agent. His contract expires in June 2026, and he has no intention of renewing. He is a big "candy" on the transfer market next summer. Since the start of the season, his name has been circulated around the offices of major clubs across Europe, including Real Madrid.

He was considered as a replacement for Konate, Upamecano or Saliba (before the latter signed a new contract with Arsenal). However, due to the player's own high demands for salary and signing bonus, his joining is almost impossible to achieve.

Guey has proven his strength, not only because he is a top central defender, but also because of the performance of his team. Crystal Palace beat Manchester City at Wembley to win the FA Cup, as well as the Community Shield, Spain's equivalent of the Super Cup. The England international was one of the team's title-winning heroes. Now 25 years old, he is on the rise.

According to BeSoccer data, he is the second most stable central defender this season: in 17 games, he averaged 73% win in duels per game, 57% aerial ball success rate, 9.84 steals and 2.76 clearances per game. Guy wants to take time to carefully consider next steps. He is now in control and has no shortage of options.

"He wanted something different." His coach Oliver Glasner analyzed. The difference is competitiveness, he wants to compete for titles, get the international recognition he deserves and become a relevant player. In this case, Liverpool and Bayern Munich are in the lead.

Anfield was his biggest dream, but Crystal Palace gave up at the last minute after failing to find a suitable replacement. Even Glasner threatened to resign to block the transfer. If he joins, he will fill the role of Konate, who is leaving the team, and the latter may leave for Madrid.

From Munich's perspective, they will at least give it a try. They want to compete for England's popular centre-back. Bayern has enough financial resources and project appeal, especially if Kim Min-jae eventually leaves. The outcome of this long-distance race will not be clear until at least January.

Currently, Guey is still focused on the present. Crystal Palace is participating in the UEFA Europa League and competing for qualifications for European competitions. He hopes to complete the final task.