Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has provided fresh insight into the behind-the-scenes talks that led to the collapse of Marc Guehi's proposed move to Liverpool.
Palace and Liverpool were in talks over a would-be deal for Guehi, before transfer deadline day last week, which resulted in a £35million move being agreed between both clubs. Guehi had even undergone a medical, in London, to join the Premier League champions when the move fell through at the 11th hour.
Guehi's contract at Palace expires at the end of the season, while there's an increased likelihood that the England defender will leave Selhurst Park as a free agent next summer. The defender starred for the three Lions during the September international break, days after his move to Liverpool collapsed.
READ MORE: Alexander Isak has learnt what Mo Salah and Hugo Ekitike think of his arrival at Liverpool
READ MORE: Arne Slot makes Alexander Isak admission after Mo Salah reveals problem with Hugo Ekitike
Reports in the days after deadline day claimed that Glasner had 'warned' Palace that he would resign if Guehi was sold on deadline day. The Palace manager has now denied these claims, explaining what he really said to the club's chairman, Steve Parish.
"It's the last time I want to talk about it," Glasner told reporters during a press conference on Friday. "Crystal Palace fans deserve to hear how it really was, so many things were written and told.
"Number one, I never threatened to leave the club. Never.
"After the end of many discussions, the chairman [Steve Parish] asked me; 'Oliver, do you think we can manage the season when we sell Marc [Guehi]'? I said; 'Steve, honestly, I think we can't manage it in the short-term'.
"If we buy a 19-year-old fantastic player with 1,000 minutes in Ligue 1 and sell our captain, we can't manage it short-term. And then we have three centre-backs.
"With our schedule, if we have an injury in the back three, I think that's very, very risky. If you want this scenario for Crystal Palace and are fine with it then sell Marc, if you don't want it then we have to keep him, and he decided we would keep him.
"Big credit to the chairman. I didn't have to threaten anybody.
"There were no tensions between the chairman and myself. It was just a discussion about sport.
"He decided against the money for the sporting perspective of Crystal Palace.
"Big credit to the chairman and to Marc, who handled it very well. We talked on deadline day, and after deadline day when he was in the England camp, always very honest talks like before.
"Everybody could see how he played for England, he was 100 per cent focused and it is the same here. He will be our captain for as long as he is here because he's a great player and has a great personality."
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
You may also like
Charlie Kirk shooting: Police evacuate Utah neighborhood of suspect Tyler Robinson; 'concerning information' received
Davina McCall 'secretly engaged to boyfriend Michael Douglas after seven years'
Sharon Osbourne breaks silence with emotional statement on husband Ozzy's death
NHS issues warning to everyone who takes ibuprofen
Include sex harassment case against you in resume, Supreme Court tells law university VC