Manchester City have taken a decisive lead in the race to sign Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, with talks now underway over a potential £40 million January transfer. The Premier League champions are pushing to secure a deal this month, ahead of rivals Arsenal and Liverpool.
City Move to the Front of the Queue
According to reports, the 25-year-old England international is close to agreeing personal terms with Manchester City and is open to leaving Selhurst Park during the current window. Guehi has less than six months remaining on his contract with Palace, who face the prospect of losing their skipper on a free transfer this summer if no sale is agreed.
While Barcelona held discussions with the defender's representatives last month, and both Liverpool and Arsenal have registered strong interest, it is Pep Guardiola's side who have made the most concrete move. The Times reports that City are keen to wrap up a deal in January and have entered direct negotiations with Crystal Palace.
Palace Set £40m Price Tag as Chelsea Await Windfall
Crystal Palace are understood to be holding out for a fee of £40 million for their prized asset. In negotiations, Manchester City have indicated they are prepared to outbid any rival offers. Furthermore, they are ready to compensate Guehi for the substantial signing-on bonus he would have been in line to receive as a free agent in the summer.
Should the transfer proceed at the asking price, former club Chelsea will benefit from a significant sell-on clause. The Blues are due to receive 20 per cent of the transfer fee as part of the agreement that took Guehi to Palace for £18 million back in 2021.
Liverpool's Past Interest and Glasner's Pragmatic View
This development represents a major blow to Liverpool and Arsenal, who had both been tracking the centre-back. Liverpool came agonisingly close to signing Guehi last summer for around £35 million, only for Palace to pull the plug on the deal while the player was undergoing a medical on transfer deadline day.
Both Merseyside and North London clubs had been aiming to secure Guehi's services on a free transfer at the end of the season. However, City's proactive approach in January has changed the landscape entirely.
Palace manager Oliver Glasner recently acknowledged the reality of the situation, hinting a sale was possible. "There will be a threshold where the club has to say [sell]," Glasner stated. "If the player says, 'I want to leave' and the money is above the threshold, it will happen. I'm not so naive not to know that if a massive offer comes from City and Marc wants to do it, it will happen."
The potential transfer of Marc Guehi to Manchester City is shaping up to be one of the defining moves of the January window, demonstrating the champions' intent to strengthen mid-season while thwarting the plans of their closest competitors.
