Crystal Palace had lined up Brighton & Hove Albion centre-back Igor Julio as a possible recruit, but West Ham swooped in and secured the Brazilian, who chose the London Stadium instead. With time running out to seal a proper replacement before deadline day, Palace pulled the plug on Guehi’s switch and made it clear the England international would stay put, even if it meant passing on a £35m payday.

Fresh reports on Monday night indicated that Oliver Glasner was central to Guehi’s situation. According to The Express, the Austrian manager ‘threatened to resign’ if his defender was sold, leaving chairman Steve Parish with no option but to scrap the transfer rather than risk losing the coach.

Glasner has already delivered the most successful era in Palace’s history by winning silverware this year, and therefore has earned the authority to influence transfer policy. Yet at the same time, his stance has left him tied to the club’s future – supporters will feel let down if he walks away from Selhurst Park any time soon.

Parish turned down his usual business logic by rejecting a significant £35m profit for Guehi, who might fetch only half that fee in January or potentially leave on a free next summer. Glasner now has the responsibility to justify that gamble and show the chairman he was right to stick by him.

Adding to the dilemma on Monday was Bayer Leverkusen’s shock decision to dismiss Erik ten Hag just two games into the league campaign. Had Palace gone ahead with Guehi’s sale, Glasner could have left instantly and been lined up for the vacant role in Germany – a risk Parish clearly was unwilling to take.

The fact remains a heavyweight club is searching for a new boss. Glasner’s past Bundesliga experience with Eintracht Frankfurt and Wolfsburg makes him an obvious candidate, and a switch to Leverkusen may well have appealed.

But by taking a firm stand to ensure Guehi remains in SE25, Glasner has to back up his words by committing to Palace. Departing now would not reflect well on him, nor on Parish, after everything they have put together in south London.

For the first time in their history, Palace are competing in European football, with Glasner insisting his captain will be part of that adventure. Now he must prove he is the man to guide the Eagles into this exciting new chapter.