Manchester City have secured the signing of England international Marc Guéhi from Crystal Palace in a deal worth £20 million. The central defender has put pen to paper on a long-term contract with the Premier League champions, committing his future to the club until the summer of 2031.
From Liverpool Links to City Move
The transfer brings to an end a period of significant speculation surrounding the 25-year-old's future. Guéhi was close to joining Liverpool last summer, only for Crystal Palace to halt the proposed move. Liverpool opted not to renew their interest this January, reportedly seeing little value in a mid-season purchase for a player whose contract was set to expire in a few months.
City, however, have acted decisively to address an immediate need in their squad. The move was finalised on Friday, leading Palace to withdraw Guéhi from their matchday squad for the weekend fixture against Sunderland.
Defensive Crisis Prompted City's Action
The champions' push to complete the signing this month has been driven by a severe shortage of fit centre-backs. Pep Guardiola's side are currently without the services of three key defenders: Rúben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, and John Stones, all of whom are sidelined with injuries.
This defensive emergency had already forced the club to recall academy graduate Max Alleyne from his loan spell at Watford two weeks ago to provide cover. Guéhi's arrival offers a more experienced and immediate solution to bolster City's backline for the crucial second half of the season.
Palace Boss Voices Frustration
The sale has not been well received at Selhurst Park, with Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner openly criticising the club's board for sanctioning the departure. Speaking after a defeat to Sunderland, Glasner expressed his dismay at the lack of squad depth.
"We feel that we're being abandoned," he said. "There's no support. Everybody's disappointed. We've been playing with 12 to 13 players for weeks now. On the bench I had just kids."
As part of the agreement that took Guéhi from Chelsea to Palace in 2021, his former club Chelsea are entitled to 20% of the transfer fee. Guéhi becomes City's second signing of the January window, following the £62.5 million arrival of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth.
