Chelsea want to sign ‘outstanding’ Crystal Palace player, it’s not Marc Guehi or Eberechi Eze
Chelsea are competing with Manchester City and Barcelona to sign in-demand Crystal Palace full-back Daniel Munoz this summer.
That’s according to The Mirror with the outlet predicting a transfer race for the 28-year-old. The Blues have become frequent business partners with the Eagles, having loaned and recalled Trevoh Chalboah this season.
Chelsea also sent Ben Chilwell on loan to Selhurst Park on Deadline Day with the frozen out England international looking for game time. The Blues have also been linked with transfer interest in Marc Guehi.
Chelsea transfer interest in Crystal Palace defender
Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are both also said to want Guehi, with the Magpies seeing a £60 million bid rejected last summer. Guehi is a product of the Chelsea academy and left Stamford Bridge in 2021, but is now an interest to Enzo Maresca.
However, the priority might not be a move for Guehi or even Eberechi Eze, with whom Chelsea were linked a year ago. It could be for Munoz, who has taken to the Premier League with ease since arriving from Belgian side Genk in January 2024 for £6.8 million.
The full-back role is one which Maresca could want more depth in next season. Munoz plays on the right flank and has the attacking qualities to slot into the Chelsea side. Reece James is first choice in that position at Stamford Bridge but has had injury struggles.
Munoz will still have two years left on his Crystal Palace contract in June but that is not expected to stop Chelsea and Manchester City knocking at the doors at Selhurst Park. Should Chilwell’s loan stay in south London go well, the Blues could look to send the player back to Crystal Palace to sweeten any deal.
Pep Guardiola is believed to view Munoz as a long-term replacement for Kyle Walker, who left Manchester City last month to join AC Milan. The defender is a product of the Envigado academy in Colombia, which has produced players including James Rodriguez, Freddy Guarin and Jhon Cordoba.
Daniel Munoz praised for ‘outstanding mentality’
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has praised Munoz since he arrived at the club. Speaking in April last year, the head coach said: “Daniel has an outstanding training mentality. Every training session he’s the guy who’s running most, who’s sprinting most. Although he had the games with Colombia in the international break, every game 100 minutes, [he plays] every game [with] the most intensity.
“It’s the wish of all managers to have such players, and then he gets the reward [starting every game]. I don’t give him a gift. He deserves it and he performs and [gets] up and down.”
