Manchester City eyeing move for “absolute tank” as long-term replacement for John Stones

Manchester City's John Stones. (REUTERS/Peter Powell)

Manchester City are beginning to look every inch like genuine title contenders once again.

Pep Guardiola’s side were ruthless at the weekend, cruising past Crystal Palace with a 3–0 win thanks to a brace from Erling Haaland and another strike from Phil Foden, with Rayan Cherki arguably the standout performer on the night.

That result leaves City second in the Premier League, just two points adrift of leaders Arsenal after once appearing to be falling behind in the title race.

Still, despite the strong form, Guardiola’s rebuild remains very much ongoing — and attention is already turning to the future of his defence.

According to The Times, Marc Guéhi has emerged as a top target for Manchester City ahead of next summer.

The England international is approaching the final months of his contract at Crystal Palace, having narrowly missed out on a move to Liverpool on deadline day in the summer.

City, however, have been tracking the 25-year-old for some time. Guéhi has been on the club’s radar since impressing former sporting director Txiki Begiristain, and with his deal expiring at the end of the season, he is expected to attract significant interest.

Described by former teammates as an “absolute tank”, Guéhi could be available either on a cut-price deal in January or as a free agent in the summer. Palace may yet decide that cashing in early is preferable to losing one of their standout performers for nothing.

A move to the Etihad would align neatly with City’s defensive situation.

John Stones is also out of contract this summer, and his future is uncertain given ongoing fitness concerns. Elsewhere, Nathan Aké has struggled for minutes, Manuel Akanji is currently on loan at Inter, and both defenders are expected to move on.

While Rúben Dias and Joško Gvardiol remain central to Guardiola’s plans, depth beyond that pairing is limited. With youngsters like Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis still viewed as long-term projects, City are expected to prioritise a proven centre-back — and Guéhi is firmly on their shortlist.

If Stones’ time at the Etihad is coming to an end, City may already have their successor in mind.

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.