Manchester City “negotiating with the agents” of “magnificent” international defender and “prepared to bid” soon

Pep Guardiola. (REUTERS)

Manchester City are stepping up their pursuit of Crystal Palace and England defender Marc Guehi following injuries to Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol.

Dias is expected to miss at least a month with a hamstring problem, while Gvardiol faces a longer spell out after fracturing his tibia.

The Blues have struggled to find consistency recently, drawing three consecutive matches against Sunderland, Chelsea, and Brighton, leaving them six points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal. With silverware and the title race at stake, Guardiola is keen to strengthen his defence in January.

City have already signed Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo for £64 million to boost their attack, but now attention has turned to Guehi. The 25-year-old England international, whose contract at Palace runs until the end of the season, could leave early if a deal is struck — something Palace are reportedly open to for financial reasons.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on the situation.

“Man City want the deal to happen now, Man City are prepared to bid to Crystal Palace and try to reach an agreement with Crystal Palace for Marc Guehi,” Romano said on his YouTube channel.

“City believe it would not be a problem to reach a financial agreement with Crystal Palace for the defender. The real crucial point here is the player.

“Man City are negotiating with the agents of Marc Guehi – and now Guehi has to decide because the original plan for the defender has always been, ‘Let’s move in the summer. Complete the season at Palace and then move in the summer transfer window on a free’.

“It’s a better contract and the opportunity to decide whatever he wants in terms of the club, so to take his time and not having to negotiate club to club on anything. But Man City want him now, Man City want to jump into it in a very strong way, and Man City believe again that reaching an agreement with Palace would not be a problem.”

With City facing a defensive crisis, Guehi – described as “magnificent” by former Premier League star Stephen Warnock – could be the key January signing to shore up Guardiola’s backline and keep their title and Champions League hopes alive.”

Barnaby Lane is a highly experienced sports writer who has written for The Times, FourFourTwo Magazine, Sports Illustrated, TalkSPORT, and Business Insider.

Over the years, he's had the pleasure of interviewing some of the biggest names in world sport, including Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Christian Pulisic, and more.