Vicente Guaita Transfer to Crystal Palace in Jeapody of Collapsing After Get Out Clause Revealed
Getafe goalkeeper Vicente Guaita may not sign a contract with Crystal Palace in the summer as was previously agreed, after it emerged that a 'get out' clause will be activated if the Eagles are relegated from the Premier League, according to Spanish outlet Marca (via Sport Witness).
Palace wanted to sign Guaita, who has made 22 league starts for Getafe this season, in the January window, but the 11th-placed La Liga side were unwilling to lose their first choice keeper and a deal could not be reached.
Palace manager Roy Hodgson then confirmed in February that 31-year-old Guaita - whose contract with Getafe is set to expire in the summer - had agreed to sign a pre-contract with the Eagles.
“We have signed a pre-contract with Vicente Guaita so he will join us on July 1," the former England boss was quoted as saying by the Evening Standard.
“We would have liked of course to have tried to persuade the club to sign him in January, but they didn’t want to do that, which is their right because his contract with them does not run out until the summer.
“It is good news that we will have him from 1 July and he will boost our goalkeeping contingent in the way that I was hoping it would be boosted.”
However, in the latest twist, it has been claimed that Guaita will not make the move should Crystal Palace be relegated from the Premier League, due to a clause in the agreement - a claim which has since been disputed by Guardian and Observer correspondent Dominic Fifield.
Having failed to win any of their last five games, the Eagles are 17th in the Premier League table, level on points with 18th-placed Swansea but with a superior goal difference.