England manager Thomas Tuchel has praised Marc Guehi’s professionalism and mentality after holding talks with the defender in camp this week. The Crystal Palace captain linked up with the national squad the morning after his dramatic deadline-day move to Liverpool collapsed.
The Reds believed they had secured Marc Guehi’s signature, agreeing a £35m fee with Palace and putting the 25-year-old through a medical in London. A five-year contract was prepared, but the transfer broke down at the final hurdle when Palace were unable to secure a replacement before Monday’s deadline. Reports suggested Marc Guehi was “angry” about the failed switch, but Tuchel insists the player has quickly moved past the disappointment.
“We had a chat with him and he looks absolutely fine,” Tuchel said in his press conference ahead of England’s World Cup qualifier against Andorra on September 6. “He looks very impressive on the field. He has had a couple of very impressive weeks. He is the main driver of Crystal Palace’s success. He’s their captain and their leader, played very impressively at the end of last season and has carried that form into this season. In camp, he has continued exactly like this. It’s very impressive. He handles it with respect, with grace, and with a brilliant attitude.”
Tuchel also explained that England’s decision to call players into camp on Tuesday rather than immediately after the transfer deadline was deliberate. The extra time allowed footballers to deal with unfinished business without carrying the emotional baggage into training.
“It is one reason why we called the players up on Tuesday,” he said. “We didn’t want to have all these mixed emotions. They come on Tuesday, have one day off, and we streamline the week towards Saturday’s game. One part of the decision was also to give them freedom to sort out their transfer issues. Of course, we are interested in these things. We need to know where players will be playing at the weekend.”
England face Andorra first before a tougher test against Serbia on September 9. While it remains to be seen how much game time Marc Guehi will get, Tuchel’s comments underline the trust he has in the Palace defender, despite the frustrations of transfer deadline day.
Attention will also turn back to club football after the international break, with Liverpool head coach Arne Slot and Palace boss Oliver Glasner likely to face questions about the failed deal when the Premier League resumes.
