Manchester City have wrapped up the signing of Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace in a deal worth up to an initial £20 million.
The 25-year-old has signed a five-and-a-half year contract at the club until 2031 and becomes their second signing of the month, following the £62.5 million arrival of forward Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth earlier in the window.
The England defender was approaching the final months of his contract at the Eagles and was close to joining Liverpool on deadline day last summer, before the move collapsed.
Several clubs, amongst which were Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, were interested in a deal for the defender, but Manchester City acted swiftly to complete the deal. An injury crisis at center-back hastened the process, with three of the Cityzens senior defenders sidelined on a long-term basis. Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol, who were forced off during the 1-1 draw against Chelsea earlier in the month, are set for extended spells on the sidelines, while John Stones remains out of action.
Guehi moved to Crystal Palace from Chelsea in 2021 and went on to establish himself at Selhurst Park, making 188 appearances until his departure. He captained the club to their first ever major trophy with victory in the FA Cup over Manchester City last season, as well as the FA Community Shield triumph over Liverpool at the start of the current campaign.
The defender, who will wear the number 15 shirt at his new club, expressed delight at joining the ‘best club in England’.
“I am really happy and incredibly proud to be a Manchester City player. This move feels like the culmination of all the hard work I have put into my career.
“I am now at the best club in England and part of an unbelievable squad of players. It feels good to be able to say that”, Guehi said as quoted by Skysports.
The England international could make his Manchester City debut this weekend in their Premier League clash against Wolves and his arrival comes at a crucial time when Pep Guardiola’s side look to regain momentum in their title challenge this season.
