The England centre-back spurned the chance to have his pick of clubs on a free transfer, instead joining Guardiola’s side in the hunt for major silverware this term
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( Martin Rickett/PA Wire )
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Pep Guardiola has said he is grateful to Marc Guehi for answering Manchester City’s defensive injury crisis by joining in January rather than having his pick of clubs on a free transfer in the summer.
Guehi, a £20m signing, is set to face the club he could have joined on Sunday, as his move to Liverpool broke down with a few hours remaining of the summer transfer window.
Guardiola said that City did not bid when Liverpool made a £35m offer then, while the reigning Premier League champions opted not to match their rivals’ January offer.
Guardiola described it is an opportunistic move by City, saying: “We had a lot of [injury] problems for John Stones and Nathan Ake and sometimes you are not ready and when we had incredible problems with Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias for long injuries I said, ‘Wow, we are in trouble for a long part of the season.”
“And we had that opportunity and I am grateful Marc decided to join us, Marc could have stayed at Crystal Palace until the end of the season and be a free agent and go wherever he wants.”
Guehi was thought to also be of interest to Arsenal, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich as his contract entered its final few months.
Guardiola revealed his thinking for not pursuing Guehi last summer, believing he had enough cover at the back until Manuel Akanji’s late move to Inter Milan.
“In that moment we have six or seven central defenders and for reasons that were a little bit out of our control, Manuel could not stay with us and leave to Inter Milan because Financial Fair Play is there and you have the numbers,” he said.
Besides Guehi, Guardiola also signed another former Liverpool target last month, in winger Antoine Semenyo, and he explained he told each to only sign for City if they were truly convinced it was the right move.
“I can tell them all the big things I believe the club has but they have to feel it,” he said. “I always say when I speak to the players, ‘sleep on it with your pillow for as many nights as you want’. You have to be convinced. Don’t come here if you don’t feel it. From outside they see the club and the way they play in terms of the team and afterwards the club. I tell them what I truly, truly believe. I never say something I believe the club is not.”