OLIVER GLASNER has won his battle with Steve Parish over captain Marc Guehi.
The most successful manager in Crystal Palace history slammed his foot down and demanded that he did not lose his skipper this late in the window.
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Glasner made it abundantly clear in public that he wanted Guehi to stay following the win over Aston Villa.
Within the club some feared he could even walk if the defender was sold.
Off the back of the FA Cup win in May and the victory over Liverpool in the Community Shield, this is the prime time for Glasner to throw his weight around.
Not that Palace did not try to land a fee for Guehi, who could now leave for nothing in a year’s time.
From January he will be able to reach a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs, with Real Madrid and Barcelona interested.
Liverpool agreed a £35million deal with the Eagles for the England man and the 25-year-old even completed his medical in London.
The Premier League champions had submitted a deal sheet to give them more time to get the move over the line, but within the hour the deal was dead.
Palace had attempted to sign replacements, including Brighton’s Igor Julio. The defender’s deal was progressing before West Ham swooped and signed the Brazilian.
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The two clubs were in talks at the beginning of August and even then remained apart over the fee.
Guehi spoke to media after scoring against Aston Villa in a 3-0 win on Sunday.
Asked how he has dealt with the speculation, he said: “I can’t say I like the limelight too much.
“A lot of cameras in my face all the time and constantly talking about me. I’m glad I’ve got a good club, good teammates around me.
“When you focus on what’s important, the football, it makes it a lot easier. Glad my family could be there to help me, and the staff, and everyone at Palace, so, yeah it’s good.”
It is a positive end to the summer for Glasner, but there are now huge questions over his relationship with chairman Parish.
Parish has often spoken of how the fiery Austrian has driven the club to new levels, but the former Eintracht Frankfurt boss has not hidden his feelings all summer.
After a slow transfer window a year ago was followed by a desperate start to the season, there were promises things would be different this time around.
But it has taken the Eagles until the final week to act on big signings, once Eberechi Eze had moved to Arsenal.
Glasner hit out at their “passive” summer and suggested he would not entertain talks over a new deal if the window was not to his liking.
Like Guehi, he is out of contract at the end of the season.
Palace did complete a deadline day deal for teenage defender Jaydee Canvot, while Odsonne Edouard joined Lens in a permanent deal.
They also submitted a deal sheet to sign Manor Solomon on loan from Tottenham.
Bilal El Khannouss, a Palace target this summer, joined Stuttgart on loan from Leicester City.