Manchester City finally won the transfer battle over Liverpool and Chelsea to the signing of £80m best Midfielder in Europe who have just scored 15 goals this season so far – Deal set to be completed soon as Pep Guardiola Second January signing
Manchester City are actively working to secure a deal with Crystal Palace for Marc Guehi during this month’s transfer window, as they grapple with a severe defensive injury crisis, according to recent reports.
Guehi has risen to the top of City’s transfer priorities following injuries to both Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol during a 1-1 Premier League draw with Chelsea several weeks ago, which left Pep Guardiola desperately short of defensive options.
In an immediate response to the crisis, Etihad Stadium officials recalled academy graduate Max Alleyne from his loan spell at Watford, with the 20-year-old immediately thrust into action against Brighton and Exeter City during his first week back in the north-west.
However, there’s a clear understanding within the club that City must significantly strengthen their defensive ranks to preserve their ambitions across all competitions as they battle on four fronts and chase down Premier League leaders Arsenal in pursuit of what would be their fifth league title in six remarkable seasons.
Nathan Ake’s troubling injury recorded over the past 18 months means Guardiola simply cannot depend on the 30-year-old for regular weekly appearances during the extended absences of Gvardiol and Dias, with the former facing a lengthy four to five-month spell on the sidelines and the latter still requiring another month to recover fully.
John Stones remains sidelined and, much like Ake, the 31-year-old’s future at the Etihad Stadium appears increasingly uncertain, with recent comments from Guardiola strongly hinting that Manchester City could finally be preparing to part ways with one of the Catalan coach’s longest-serving and most trusted players.
While Abdukodir Khusanov is expected to step up and play a significant role at centre-back during Gvardiol and Dias’s absences, Manchester City have already identified Crystal Palace and England defender Marc Guehi as their primary target for reinforcement in the January transfer window.
According to Miguel Delaney’s reporting for Independent Sport, City are fully prepared to overcome whatever obstacles stand in their way to secure Guehi’s signature from Selhurst Park before the current transfer window slams shut.
The 25-year-old is scheduled to become a free agent when his current Palace contract expires at the end of this season, with both Liverpool and Arsenal closely monitoring the England international’s situation should he choose to see out his contract and leave in the summer.
Guehi is believed to be leaning towards honoring his commitment to Crystal Palace and departing south London once the season concludes, but Manchester City are mounting a persuasive campaign to convince both the player and the Eagles that making the move now would benefit all parties involved.
City have already opened formal discussions with Palace over a potential transfer, demonstrating their willingness to match any competing offers from rival clubs – with recent reports suggesting that the Eagles now value their captain significantly higher than the £35 million fee they had previously agreed with Liverpool last summer before those negotiations ultimately fell through.
The key question now is whether Guehi can be tempted by the immediate prospect of competing for major silverware this season – a compelling factor that proved decisive in persuading Antoine Semenyo to join forces with Guardiola’s project from Bournemouth during the middle of the current campaign.
