Manchester City have reportedly submitted a bid worth £30 million ($40.2 million) for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi, who is now billed as the master of his own destiny.
It was widely expected that Guéhi would wait until his contract expired in the summer before leaving Palace—that was at least what manager Oliver Glasner predicted as recently as mid-December. That scenario would have set up an intriguing scramble for the centre back’s signature, with the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich battling Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City for the free agent.
However, City’s urgent need for defensive reinforcements has dramatically altered the landscape.
Pep Guardiola will be without Rúben Dias for at least another month while Joško Gvardiol is set to be “out for a long time” with a broken leg. John Stones remains a fixture of the treatment room, forcing 20-year-old Max Alleyne into emergency service after being hurriedly recalled from his loan spell at Watford.
While all Guéhi’s other suitors were content to wait until a summer bidding war, City have struck this month. Fabrizio Romano was the first to report that Guardiola’s side had made a “big approach” for the 25-year-old, subsequently confirming reports from Florian Plettenberg of Sky Germany than an offer of £30 million had been tabled.
A depleted defence has Man City looking at signing Marc Guehi this window. pic.twitter.com/6ys6S5yjro
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) January 7, 2026
Palace were thought to be demanding in the region of £40 million for their club captain despite the shortness of his existing contract. Yet this sum still represents a considerable windfall, especially as Palace had reportedly agreed a fee of £35 million with Liverpool for Guéhi’s services last summer before a late change of heart. Six months, 33 appearances and three goals later, Palace stand to only lose out on £5 million.
With the Eagles thought to look upon the details of the agreement favourably and personal terms not considered to be an issue for Guéhi, all that remains is for the player to actually decide whether he wants to join City right now.
Will Marc Guehi Accept Man City Proposal?
Marc Guéhi looking to the side.
Marc Guéhi will be out of contract in July. | Sebastian Frej/Getty Images
With no contract extension in sight, Guéhi has some big decisions to make this year. If he turns down City, that only delays his dilemma for six months when even more clubs will be jostling for his attention.
As much as City would reap the rewards of his arrival immediately, there is no guarantee that he will remain in such high demands once everyone returns to fitness. Gvardiol has been reconfigured into a centre back this season, forming an impressive partnership with Dias while Nico O’Reilly continues to beat £31 million summer recruit Rayan Aït-Nouri in a race for the left back spot.
Among the sprawl of suitors this summer, Arsenal offer even fewer signs of starting opportunities for Guéhi, with the duo of Gabriel and William Saliba scarcely overlooked.
Liverpool could grant the 25-year-old a starting role if Ibrahima Konaté were to leave at the end of his own contract, giving Guéhi one season alongside Virgil van Dijk before assuming the mantle of replacing the towering skipper.
Neither Real Madrid nor Barcelona are blessed with centre back depth, while the prospect of a free transfer anywhere would be likely more financially beneficial for Guéhi (and his agent) given the swollen signing-on fees free agents can demand.
Uprooting his entire existence six months before a first World Cup appearance must surely come into the thinking of Guéhi, a character who has shown nothing but affection and admiration for his current surroundings. When quizzed on his collapsed move to Liverpool last summer, the England international firmly insisted that “it wasn’t difficult” having to stay at Crystal Palace.
“I know that God has a plan for me and whatever that plan will be will come into fruition at some point,” he declared. “But the goal and the focus is always been playing football and trying to do that the best I can.”
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