Oliver Glasner has refused to rule out a January exit for Marc Guehi, admitting he "is not naive" to the lure of Manchester City. With the defender’s deal expiring this summer, the Palace boss used a vivid analogy about "freezing" to explain why a massive bid could force a sale. Glasner concedes that if finances outweigh sporting needs, the captain will be sold.Speaking to the media regarding the future of the club captain, the Palace manager utilised a complex comparison involving home maintenance to describe the hierarchy's stance on a potential winter sale. When asked if the club could resist significant offers for the centre-back, Glasner presented a scenario where immediate financial requirements might override the desire to retain a key asset on the pitch.“Nothing in life is one-dimensional,” the Austrian manager said. “Let’s say you have a nice car but you need money because it’s cold and a window [at home] is broken, and somebody offers you crazy money for your car.“You say, ‘No, I don’t want to sell my car. I love my car. But I don’t want to freeze.’ Then you say, ‘If I can get the window and even a new roof, you can have the car. But I would like to keep it.’”The manager applied this logic directly to the situation surrounding the England international, who has entered the final six months of his contract at Selhurst Park. The dilemma facing the board is whether to accept a substantial fee now or risk losing a player rated at £50 million for nothing when his contract expires in July.“It’s the same with [the player],” Glasner continued. “Everybody wants him to play for Crystal Palace, sign a new contract and stay here for ever.“On the other side, the contract ends this summer and if somebody is coming and you are freezing, there will be a moment when the club says, ‘Now the financial issue is more important than the sporting issue and we have to do it.’”Glasner also discussed the necessity of alignment between a player's ability and the club's status. The defender has established himself as a regular starter for his country since joining from Chelsea in 2021, a trajectory that often prompts interest from Champions League contenders. The 49-year-old suggested that transfers are often a natural consequence of a player’s development outpacing their current environment, or conversely, a player failing to meet the required standard.“If a player feels too good for a club, it is better to sell him, and if a player is not good enough for a club, you also have to sell him,” Glasner stated. “To get the best out of your squad, it must be a match.” When asked specifically whether a transfer to the reigning Premier League champions would constitute such a "match," the Palace boss offered a direct response.“It could be,” he said. “I’m not so naive as not to know that if a massive offer comes from City and [he] wants to do it, it will happen.”Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!The manager's admission arrives amidst reports indicating that Manchester City are actively considering a move for the 25-year-old. Pep Guardiola’s side have been forced to re-evaluate their transfer plans following a costly weekend of action that saw their defence weakened significantly. Injuries to Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias have left the champions light in central defence, potentially necessitating a dip into the January market. The absence of two key defensive pillars has exposed a vulnerability that rivals may look to exploit, making the acquisition of a Premier League-proven defender a potentially decisive factor in the title race.City are not the sole interested party. The player has also been linked with Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. The situation regarding the foreign clubs is particularly pressing for Palace due to transfer regulations. As the defender is in the final six months of his deal, he is technically free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with European sides like Madrid or Bayern immediately. Such a move would see him leave for free at the end of the season. Conversely, a move to a domestic rival like City or Liverpool would require a transfer fee to be paid this month, providing the funds Glasner alluded to in his "broken window" analogy.Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingGlasner’s comments suggest that while the club’s preference is to retain their skipper for the remainder of the campaign to ensure Premier League safety and a strong finish, there is a specific valuation that would trigger a sale.“There will be a threshold where if [he] says he wants to leave and the money is above the threshold, it will happen,” Glasner concluded.The situation leaves the London club waiting to see if the interest from the Etihad Stadium materialises into a formal bid. If City’s injury crisis forces them to meet the "crazy money" threshold described by the manager, the defender’s four-year spell at Selhurst Park could conclude before the window shuts on February 3. Until then, he remains a Palace player, though his manager has made it clear that the club's financial reality will ultimately dictate the outcome. The next few weeks will determine whether the club chooses to fix the "window" or keep the "car".