**Manchester City are working to strike an agreement with Crystal Palace for Marc Guehi this month in the wake of a personnel crisis in defence, as per a new report.**
Guehi has emerged as a priority target for City after Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol suffered injuries in a 1-1 Premier League draw with Chelsea a few weeks ago, leaving Pep Guardiola short of options in defence.
Executives at the Etihad Stadium have since re-called academy graduate Max Alleyne from loan at Watford, with the 20-year-old starting against Brighton and Exeter City in his first week back in the north-west.
However, there is an acceptance that City need to bolster their backline to sustain their aspirations of silverware as they compete on four fronts and challenge Premier League leaders Arsenal for what could be a fifth league title in six seasons for the Blues.
Nathan Ake’s injury record in the last 18 months means Guardiola cannot count on the 30-year-old to play week-in, week-out in the absence of Gvardiol and Dias, with the former sidelined for four to five months and the latter set for another month on the sidelines.
John Stones remains unavailable and like Ake, the 31-year-old faces huge uncertainty over his future at the Etihad Stadium and recent comments from Guardiola indicate that Manchester City could finally part ways with one of the Catalan’s longest-serving players at the club.
Abdukodir Khusanov is expected to play a key role at centre-half as Gvardiol and Dias remain out but Manchester City have already identified Crystal Palace and England defender Marc Guehi as a priority addition to their squad in the January transfer window.
As reported by [Miguel Delaney writing for Independent Sport](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/marc-guehi-transfer-man-city-arsenal-crystal-palace-b2898692.html), City are prepared to overcome any and all obstacles to secure the arrival of Guehi from Selhurst Park in what remains of the current window.
The 25-year-old is set to leave Crystal Palace at the end of his current deal at the end of the season, with Liverpool and Arsenal among those interested in signing the England international should he choose to stay at Palace till the summer.
Guehi is believed to be keen on honouring his contract in south London and leave Crystal Palace after the season ends but Manchester City are working to convince Guehi and the Eagles that now is the right time to move.
City have begun talks with Palace over a deal, with a readiness to match other offers – with reports of late suggesting that the Eagles value their captain over the £35 million fee they had agreed with Liverpool last summer before a transfer broke down.
It remains to be seen whether Guehi is tempted by the chance of winning trophies this season – a crucial factor in tempting Antoine Semenyo to join forces with Guardiola from Bournemouth midway through the season.