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Manchester City have dramatically escalated their pursuit of Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi with a major contract proposal submitted in the last 12 hours, threatening to snatch one of Liverpool’s primary defensive targets from under their noses.
The Etihad hierarchy have been forced into the transfer market following an injury crisis that has decimated Pep Guardiola’s defensive options. Josko Gvardiol suffered a fractured tibia during City’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea on January 5 and faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines, while Ruben Dias has been ruled out for four to six weeks with a hamstring injury sustained in the same match.
The development represents a bitter twist for Liverpool, who came agonisingly close to securing Guehi’s signature on transfer deadline day last summer. The Reds had agreed a £35 million deal with Crystal Palace and Guehi had even commenced his medical examination in London before Palace chairman Steve Parish pulled the plug/
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has conceded the Eagles would be forced to sell their captain if the right offer arrives this month. “If someone approaches us, there will come a point when the club prioritizes financial matters over sporting considerations,” Glasner admitted.
And the Times has revealed more details of the potential transfer. Gary Jacobs has reported that the South London club want £40m for their captain this month, with Guehi open to a January switch. Interestingly, City want their man so much they are willing to give him finances equal to what he would have recieved as a free agent signing:
“City have opened talks with Palace, who want £40million for their captain, and are close to agreeing personal terms with Guehi, 25, who has entered the final six months of his deal.”
“The club are prepared to compensate him for the money he would otherwise receive as a free agent this summer as well as beat other offers. It is not clear if he will be in the Palace squad to play Sunderland in the Premier League on Saturday.”
Guehi is already an established England international and counts as homegrown for Premier League/Champions League quotas, which is something that Liverpool’s recruitment team would have flagged as well.
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