**Manchester City have met with the representative of Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi at the City Football Academy over the weekend, it has been revealed.**
The development represents a significant step forward in what has become one of City’s most closely followed transfer pursuits. After days of conflicting reports surrounding the defender’s future, direct contact with his agent signals interest from the Etihad is advancing.
This meeting also aligns with previous updates suggesting City were ‘pushing to change the landscape’ of a deal despite an internal understanding that Guehi was more likely to remain at Crystal Palace until summer, while Fabrizio Romano had already indicated City were prepared to keep trying for the England international.
Earlier confidence around a January deal had been fuelled by claims that City believed an agreement could be struck between the two clubs, although that optimism was later tempered by Oliver Glasner’s insistence that Palace would only sell if “massive money” arrived and the player himself actively wanted to leave.
Now, according to the information of insider [‘FPLMaineRoad’ on X](https://x.com/FPLMaineRoad/status/2010749751222825057?s=20), Marc Guehi’s agent met with Manchester City at the City Football Academy on Sunday, although there are difficulties from the side of those at the Etihad Stadium.
It is explained that City officials are currently ‘finding it difficult’ to source a solution that works for both the centre-back himself and Crystal Palace due to the signing on bonuses he has been promised if leaving Selhurst Park on a free transfer in the summer.
Elsewhere, according to fellow insider [‘Tolmie’s Hairdoo’ also on X](https://x.com/RealTolmie/status/2010691539576479885?s=20), Guehi has been aware of City’s interest since mid-November, meaning that the intent is ‘serious and deliberate’ ahead of departures for John Stones and Nathan Ake in 2026.
From Guehi’s perspective, a free transfer in summer would be financially advantageous, potentially bringing a substantial signing-on fee that Palace cannot match if selling now. That reality places City in a position where they must not only negotiate with Crystal Palace, but also provide sufficient incentive to outweigh what the player stands to gain by waiting.
For Palace, allowing Guehi to leave for nothing would represent a major financial loss, yet forcing a January sale below their valuation could be viewed as undermining their sporting objectives in the second-half of the season.
What happens next may depend on whether City can restructure their proposal in a way that satisfies all parties, perhaps through higher up-front fees, bonus structures, or contractual terms that bridge the gap between a January move and financial benefits of a summer transfer.
If no compromise can be found, this meeting may ultimately serve as groundwork for a summer deal rather than an immediate breakthrough, although that would open up the game to a whole host of European giants for the defender’s signature.