Eddie Howe has warned Newcastle United ‘aren’t going to pay silly fees for players’ after Crystal Palace rejected three bids for Marc Guehi.
The England international has been linked with a move to St James’ Park this summer after starring at Euro 2024.
But the Eagles have turned down several offers from Newcastle for their star defender, including the most recent bid worth up to £60million.
Palace are holding out for £70m and chairman Steve Parish said earlier this week that ‘nobody has got to the valuation yet’, telling Sky Sports: ‘If you want a superstar player you need to pay superstar money.’
Despite their clear interest in the centre-back, the Newcastle boss said the club won’t be forced into paying over the odds.
‘We have done [walked away] many times, especially early on when there was very much a Newcastle tax,’ Howe said at a press conference this morning when asked about the move for Guehi.
‘When we would turn up the price would double. Many times we would not go down that road where we are overpaying for players.
‘I think it has changed slightly because people have seen our dynamic and we aren’t going to pay silly fees for players.’
When questioned over whether he was ‘disappointed’ about the the public nature of the Guehi transfer saga, Howe said: ‘I can only control myself and what I say and I try to do that as well as I can.
‘You’re not in control of every aspect of the deal, other clubs, and sometimes your own club.
‘There’s loads of different ways to work. I don’t comment on transfer speculation more out of respect for other clubs and players. I know that’s how I’d want to be treated the other way.’
Guehi claimed he’s not been distracted by the speculation and said this week: ‘I think it’s always important to focus on what truly is important, and that’s the game at the weekend, making sure that for the rest of the season as a team we’re at it.’
Parish has stood firm on Palace’s valuation of the 24-year-old, describing Guehi as as ‘generational talent’.
He hasn’t ruled out the defender leaving the club before the end of the transfer window but said ‘we’re nowhere near the point where we have to make a decision’.
‘We’ll cross that bridge if we get to it,’ Parish added. ‘We love having him and would love to keep him. If we start the season with him we’ll be a better team no doubt.’
Howe says Newcastle are only looking to bring in ‘difference makers’ to help improve the squad.
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He added: ‘Everyone is looking for the best players they can find.
‘From our perspective, we’ve got a good squad, when everyone’s fit – a very good squad. So to sign players and make your squad better, it’s difficult, but it’s achievable – we can do it.
‘But we don’t want to make a signing and three or four months down the line think “it hasn’t kicked us on anywhere” and you’re just adding numbers. That’s something we’ve got to avoid at all costs, in my opinion.
‘The difference-makers, the players that can take the team on, is what we’re looking for.’
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