EXCLUSIVE: Crystal Palace eye Arsenal's Kiwior amid Guehi transfer battle

Steve Kay

Updated: 12 Apr 2025 19:15 BST
4 min read

Crystal Palace could be gearing up for a defensive shake-up, with Marc Guehi’s future at Selhurst Park hanging in the balance, FootballTransfers understands.

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As interest in the England international ramps up, the Eagles have identified versatile Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior as a potential replacement. Guehi has been a standout performer for Palace, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Compared

Marc Guéhi

D (CL)

C. Palace

Marc Guéhi

D (CL)

C. Palace

VS

Jakub Kiwior

D (CL)

Arsenal

Jakub Kiwior

D (CL)

Arsenal

€48.9M	ETV	€25.2M
€44M - €53.8M	ETV Range	€22.7M - €27.7M
24 years old (13 Jul, 2000)	Age	25 years old (15 Feb, 2000)
England	Nationality	Poland

Chelsea are weighing up a move to re-sign the centre-back they sold for £18 million (€23.3m) in 2021. He’s now 24, has just one season left on his deal, and while there’s been no formal bid yet, his camp knows the big clubs are circling.

Newcastle already tested the waters with offers worth up to £65m (€75m) last summer, and Tottenham are also in the frame. A summer bidding war is very much on the cards.

Palace won’t let him go without a fight. They’ve made it clear to his representatives that they won’t consider anything below £60m (€70m). After losing Michael Olise last summer, and with Eberechi Eze also attracting interest, they’re keen to keep their key players.

To that end, Palace want to lock Guehi down with a new contract, but the defender has so far shown no willingness to consider an extension.

Crystal Palace want Kiwior

Behind the scenes, Palace are forming contingency plans and Kiwior is one of them. The Polish international joined Arsenal for €19.5m from Spezia in January 2023 but has found regular minutes hard to come by.

Brought in as cover for Gabriel Magalhaes, he’s been stuck behind the rock-solid partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba. To his credit, Kiwior has adapted well when called upon.

He’s filled in at left-back and held his own, especially during a run of clean sheets, and he recently produced a standout display in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Real Madrid, where he showed real poise and grit against elite opposition.

With Gabriel injured, Kiwior is becoming eminently important for Arsenal in the season run-in, but it may not be enough to keep him at the club long-term. His path to consistent football isn’t getting easier, with Arsenal potentially dipping into the defender market again this summer.

That opens a window for Palace. Kiwior’s past experience in a back-three suits Oliver Glasner’s system, and his ability to slot in at multiple positions makes him a valuable asset. He fits the mould of a modern, ball-playing defender, something Glasner values highly.

If Palace move forward, a deal in the region of £20–25 million (€23-€29m) could be enough to tempt Arsenal into talks. The Gunners would want to recoup most of their original outlay, but much will depend on the market and whether Kiwior pushes for more game time elsewhere.

With Guehi’s future increasingly uncertain and the summer window fast approaching, Palace might not wait long to make their move.