Top five elite clubs compete for Guehi; player prefers a free transfer next summer with a market value of €55 million.

The latest update from Italian transfer specialist Romano reveals that five leading clubs from the major European leagues intend to acquire Crystal Palace’s 25-year-old English defender Guehi, though the player prefers to depart as a free agent in next year’s summer window.

Guehi missed out on a move to Liverpool this summer; at the last moment, Crystal Palace’s coach Glasner threatened to resign to force the club to keep Guehi, which upset the English defender greatly. He has now decided not to renew his contract and will leave on a free transfer after this season to join a top club in pursuit of greater honors and a lucrative contract.

According to Romano, Liverpool remains very interested in Guehi, viewing him as the final piece to their squad; besides Liverpool, Manchester City is also keen on Guehi, as Guardiola favors him; Bayern’s coach Kompany is interested too, considering Guehi a valuable reinforcement for Bayern’s defense; La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona also plan to sign Guehi. Given the current limited spending power in La Liga, signing free agents is the preferred strategy for both clubs, and Guehi is a quality free agent. To gain an advantage, some clubs might try to secure Guehi during this summer or winter transfer window with a lower fee, aiming to get ahead in the race.

However, the 25-year-old Guehi is highly likely to finish this season and join a new club on a free transfer next summer, which would help him secure his spot in England’s World Cup squad and earn a bigger contract along with a signing bonus.