Marc Guehi's Crystal Palace farewell video LEAKS after £35m Liverpool move collapsed at 11th hour, with the Eagles captain staying put after club failed to land replacement

Liverpool's deal for Marc Guehi was so close to completion that Crystal Palace had even shot a farewell video for their captain, only for the transfer to collapse at the 11th hour.

The video, which has since leaked on social media, underlined just how advanced the £35million switch was before Palace chiefs pulled the plug.

Guehi had completed at least part of his medical with Liverpool, personal terms were agreed on a five-year contract and a deal sheet had been submitted to the Premier League. 

But Palace blocked the move at around 7.30pm on deadline day when they were unable to secure a replacement. Chairman Steve Parish had accepted the offer in the afternoon, granting Guehi permission to travel for his medical, but the club reversed course once it became clear that no new defender would arrive.

The farewell video gave a glimpse of how close Guehi was to the exit. It opened with the defender thanking supporters and reflecting on his time at Selhurst Park, before cutting to highlights of his Palace career, including his role in last season's FA Cup triumph. Sombre music played over the top, giving the package a sense of finality before the move was abandoned.

In recent days, Palace boss Oliver Glasner had made clear that he did not want to lose Guehi without a reinforcement lined up, describing his captain as 'necessary' to the club's hopes of enjoying a successful campaign.

'We had a meeting in March where we talked about the situation and we had an agreement that we could sell Marc if we had the right replacement in,' Glasner said on Sunday.

'We wanted to have this replacement at the beginning of pre-season to be independent. That was on July 9 when the season started. It is August 31 and there is no replacement in the building so it is clear one part of the agreement is not fulfilled.

'That means we cannot sell Marc. It is not a wish or gift for Oliver Glasner, it is necessary for playing a successful season.'

Palace's attempt to bring in Brighton defender Igor Julio fell apart despite the Brazilian undergoing a medical. 

Julio is understood to have opted against the switch at the last moment, leaving Glasner furious with the club for letting Guehi's Liverpool move progress so far.

To appease their head coach, Palace chiefs withdrew from the deal, leaving Liverpool empty-handed. The England international will now remain at Selhurst Park, where his contract expires at the end of the season, and is expected to continue as captain.

The 25-year-old has become one of the Premier League's most consistent centre backs since joining from Chelsea in 2021 and was a mainstay in Gareth Southgate's squad at Euro 2024. He underlined his importance with a goal in Palace's 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Sunday, though he declined to comment on the speculation afterwards.

The collapse capped a frantic deadline day at Anfield. Liverpool still completed a British-record £125m deal for Newcastle striker Alexander Isak but failed to strengthen in central defence despite their long-standing pursuit of Guehi. The Reds may revisit their interest in future windows, though the defender would be able to leave for nothing next summer if he runs down his contract without signing fresh terms.

For Palace, keeping their captain is seen as vital to building on last season's FA Cup triumph, when Guehi lifted the club's first major trophy. 

Glasner was adamant that his squad could not afford to lose such a key player without reinforcements, and his stance ultimately prevailed.