Chelsea set for unexpected transfer windfall after January agreement reached | Football | Sport

It had looked as if Guehi was set to join Liverpool in the summer, as the Reds had agreed a £35million deal with Palace. That move collapsed at the 11th hour, with the expectation that Guehi would instead opt to leave on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract this summer.

Things changed earlier this month after City duo Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias both picked up injuries during a game against Chelsea. It sparked City – who were in the mix to sign Guehi on a free – into life, with a £20m plus add-ons deal agreed at the backend of last week.

It’s a move that would’ve pricked the ears of the Chelsea directors, given the Blues inserted a sell-on clause in Guehi’s contract after he was sold to Palace in 2021. The exact details surrounding how much Chelsea will bank from the transfer, but there are some suggestions that it could be in the region of 20 per cent, which would represent a windfall in the millions.

While by no means a mindblowing sum for Chelsea, it’s unexpected in the sense that it looked as if the sell-on clause would expire with Guehi destined to leave on a free. The bigger concern for Chelsea, as well as their Premier League rivals, is the impact Guehi will have on the City squad.

The 25-year-old rubbed salt in the wounds of City’s rivals with his first words after joining, telling the club website: “I am really happy and incredibly proud to be a Manchester City player. This move feels like the culmination of all the hard work I have put into my career. I am now at the best club in England and part of an unbelievable squad of players. It feels good to be able to say that. I want to grow as a player and a person, and I know at this club that’s going to happen.

“I love football – it has given me so much for so long – and to be able to continue my development at Manchester City is a really special moment for me and my family. I absolutely cannot wait to get started now. I want to meet my teammates, train hard, understand what the manager expects of me and then show the City fans what I can do.”