Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal have all been linked with a move for Marc Guehi, but Pep Guardiola's side have stolen a march on their rivals with a deal now likely
Marc Guehi
Man City look set to win the race for Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi(Image: Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
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Pep Guardiola is edging closer to a mega deal for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi. Manchester City are pushing hard to do a £30m-plus deal and are now in negotiations with Palace and the England defender.
Palace boss Oliver Glasner has confirmed his move is at the final stages in what will be a huge boost to City's title hopes. They look set to beat Liverpool and Bayern Munich to the signing as they hope to get it done while Arsenal were also keen if Guehi became a free agent at the end of the season.
City boss Guardiola is desperate to strengthen his defensive options this month amid an injury crisis which has seen Ruben Dias and Joško Gvardiol ruled out while John Stones has also been on the treatment table.
Guehi, 25, only has six months left on his Palace contract and has made it clear he will not sign a new deal after a deadline day move to Liverpool broke down on the final day of the summer window.
Mirror Sport revealed on September 15 that City had become front runners for Guehi but it was expected to be this summer as a free agent.
But City have brought forward their interest and are ready to spend big again this month having already signed Antoine Semenyo for £64m from Bournemouth. That is a big statement from City and the Guehi fee will have to be truly remarkable to get it over the line.
Guehi only has six months left on his contract and would easily attract a huge deal as a free agent while also having the pick of his clubs in Europe.
Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi arriving before a game
Guehi now looks likely to leave Palace during the January window(Image: Stuart Leggett/NurPhoto)
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That has left City in a position where they are offering a bigger contract to reflect what he could have earned in the summer as a free agent. It will also be an unprecedented fee for a player with just six months left on his contract.
Palace have been reluctant to sell but have been pushing for around £40m to make the figures add up while City may have to go over £30m and meet somewhere in the middle.
Guehi will sit out of Palace's weekend clash vs Sunderland, with Glasner then delivering the hammer blow that he is also set to depart at the end of the season.
He said: "My latest understanding is that the deal with Marc is in the final stages... I cannot confirm the club, because it's still not done, but in the final stages, and the result is that Marc doesn't play tomorrow for us."
It does look as if it is nearing conclusion and it is a remarkable fee for Guehi bearing in mind that Liverpool had agreed £35m plus add-ons last summer when he had a year left.