Newcastle’s hopes of signing Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace have suffered a major setback. Despite making four bids for the England international, all have been rejected by Palace. However, their chances of securing Guehi’s signature have now become even slimmer as Palace have reportedly agreed to sell his center-back partner, Joachim Andersen, to Fulham.
According to The Athletic, Fulham and Palace are finalizing a deal worth £30 million, including add-ons, for Andersen to return to Craven Cottage. The Danish defender previously spent the 2020/21 season with Fulham, making 31 appearances and scoring one goal as they were relegated to the Championship.
Andersen’s performances at Fulham earned him a move to Palace from Lyon, where he has since formed a partnership with Guehi. The 28-year-old has scored three goals in 113 appearances for the Eagles, including their recent 2-1 defeat to Brentford in the Premier League opener.
With Andersen set to become Fulham’s fourth signing of the summer, Eddie Howe’s transfer plans at Newcastle could be affected. Guehi was Newcastle’s top defensive target this summer, but all their offers have been rejected so far. Howe was even linked with a surprise move for Liverpool’s Joe Gomez as a potential alternative.
It has been a frustrating transfer window for Newcastle, with their most notable addition being the free signing of Lloyd Kelly. They have also made Lewis Hall’s loan from Chelsea permanent and signed Odysseas Vlachodimos, William Osula, and John Ruddy. However, their pursuit of Guehi has proven to be challenging.
The news of Andersen’s imminent move to Fulham adds further disappointment to Newcastle’s transfer efforts. They now face an uphill battle to secure Guehi’s services, and Howe may need to explore other options to strengthen his defense. The uncertainty surrounding their defensive reinforcements adds to the pressure on Newcastle as they aim to improve on their performance from last season.