Chelsea reporter Sam Inkersole has revealed Crystal Palace-bound defender Marc Guehi was initially among those the Blues wanted to keep this summer.

The Eagles have seen a £20million bid for the 21-year-old accepted by the Champions League holders.

The centre-half impressed during a season-long loan spell with Championship outfit Swansea City last term, making 45 appearances as the Welsh side narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League thanks to a play-off final defeat to Brentford.

Guehi will leave Stamford Bridge having made just two senior appearances for Chelsea, with both of those coming in the League Cup two years ago.

He follows Fikayo Tomori, another defender who has come through the Blues' ranks, in leaving west London during the transfer window.

Inkersole, who covers Thomas Tuchel's side for football.london, admits the deal has been agreed despite Chelsea actually wanting to keep the academy product on their books.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Inkersole said: "There are probably players that Chelsea would have preferred to have got shot of this summer but, by all accounts, the offer was too good to turn down.

"He enhanced his reputation at Swansea and I think it's more a case of he wasn't guaranteed Premier League minutes at Chelsea and another loan deal wasn't necessarily what he wanted.

"Palace have come in with a really good offer for him and Chelsea have reluctantly accepted it. It's a shame because it's another academy graduate that has fallen by and I've seen a fair bit of reaction to Guehi going which is not the best."