Manchester City Nears Signing of Marc Guehi Amid Injury Crisis

According to Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett, Manchester City is close to finalizing the signing of defender Marc Guehi after successfully negotiating personal terms with the England international. The report indicates that the 25-year-old is expected to undergo a medical examination in the north-west of England, with the transfer potentially finalized by the end of the weekend.

This development follows City’s agreement on a £20 million deal, including add-ons, with fellow Premier League club Crystal Palace, which was reached on Friday. City has outmaneuvered Liverpool and Arsenal in the race for Guehi’s signature, highlighting the defender’s growing reputation in the league.

Guehi has established himself as one of the top defenders in the Premier League, drawing interest from several prominent European clubs, including Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid. His contract with Palace is set to expire at the end of the season.

If Guehi’s transfer proceeds as anticipated, he will join Antoine Semenyo, who also completed a mid-season transfer to City last Friday. Semenyo, pursued by Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur, has made an impressive start at the Etihad Stadium, scoring in both of his first two appearances against Exeter City in the FA Cup and Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup.

City’s swift action to sign Guehi comes in response to injuries sustained by central defenders Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol during a 1-1 league draw with Chelsea on January 4. Despite these setbacks, the Cityzens remain unbeaten in their past three matches, drawing with Brighton and winning against Exeter and Newcastle.

Manager Pep Guardiola refrained from naming Guehi directly before City’s upcoming Manchester derby against rivals United but acknowledged the team’s injury challenges, admitting that the club is experiencing difficult times. “What I thought after Dias and Gvardiol’s injuries? We are in trouble! That was my first thought,” Guardiola stated. He also emphasized the importance of bringing back academy graduate Max Alleyne amidst the injury crisis.

Guardiola expressed confidence in Alleyne’s potential for improvement, stating, “We transferred for the fact to bring back Max. Normally, when you sign a player, it’s not just for three months; it’s for years.” He noted that the club will consider the long-term impact of new signings.

Discussing Semenyo’s positive impact since joining the team, Guardiola remarked, “When we brought Antoine Semenyo, it was to address long-term needs, not just short-term fixes due to injuries. Last season, we signed players like Khusanov and Reis for extended tenures, which is why we make such decisions.”

As City prepares for the derby against United, who are competing under newly appointed caretaker manager Michael Carrick, Guehi’s current club, Crystal Palace, faces Sunderland later on Saturday. The Eagles are struggling, having gone nine games without a win in all competitions, and they suffered a setback with head coach Oliver Glasner announcing his departure at the end of the season following Guehi’s impending transfer.