With Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias both sidelined for an extended period, Manchester City are facing a shortage of centre-backs. The situation is compounded by John Stones also being injured, with no timeline seemingly set for his return. City only have Nathan Ake, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Max Alleyne available who are centre-backs by trade. Ake has his own fitness concerns, and Alleyne and Khusanov are still learning their trade despite their obvious talent and potential. It is clear that City need another experienced centre-back.
Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi seems to be Manchester City’s first-choice transfer target to add experience and quality to the City defence. Given Guehi’s contract situation, his current contract expires at the end of this season, a City move for Guehi does make sense. Recent comments from Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner do give the impression that a City move for Guehi could be on.
Oliver Glasner has admitted that if Marc Guehi wants a move to Manchester City there isn’t much Palace can do.
Speaking ahead of Crystal Palace’s nil-all draw with Aston Villa, which was played last night, Oliver Glasner was asked about Manchester City’s interest in signing Marc Guehi. Glasner’s answer was eyebrow-raising, to say the least.. The Crystal Palace manager said, in quotes relayed by The Sun: “*There will be a moment when the club says, now the financial issue is more important than the sporting issue.*”
“*I’m not so naive that I know if it comes to a massive offer from City and Marc wants to do it, it could happen.*”
A move to add the centre-back that Manchester City needs looks to be on
Oliver Glasner’s comments add an interesting layer to City’s interest in Marc Guehi.
Nothing Oliver Glasner said is wide of the mark. If Marc Guehi wants a January move to the Etihad and City meets Palace’s asking price in terms of a transfer fee, the England international will move to Manchester City. That seems to be an obvious statement, especially considering Marc Guehi’s current contract situation.
It did stand out to hear Oliver Glasner speak so openly about Manchester City’s interest in signing Crystal Palace’s key centre-back. It is unusual to hear a manager be so forthright with an answer on such a subject. Was Oliver Glasner foreshadowing Guehi’s future? Time will tell. But it was an eyebrow-raising comment, to say the least.
Perhaps Manchester City’s move for Marc Guehi could be on, given Oliver Glasner’s comments from a couple of days ago. Guehi would immediately help fill a void in the center-back position in Pep Guardiola’s squad. It remains to be seen if Guehi wants a move to the Etihad, but if he does, it seems that this could be a move that City could pull off in January.