Manchester City ramp up interest in “exceptional” £35m ace

Manchester City are fighting to regain their glory in the Premier League title race after struggling to compete last season.

The treble-winners have struggled to maintain their high standards over the last 12 months, and Pep Guardiola is tasked with bringing back that drive for success across domestic competition and in the Champions League.

They are currently second in the Premier League but sit six points behind league leaders Arsenal and will need to dig deep to close the gap on the relentless Gunners.

The summer transfer window saw City conduct some strong business with the additions of Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, Gianluigi Donnarumma, James Trafford and Rayan Aït-Nouri, all of whom have made a positive impact in the first half of the campaign.

However, there is still room for improvement if the squad is to return to its winning ways and maximise their chances of lifting prestigious silverware by the end of the season.

The January transfer window presents a valuable opportunity to bring in some much-needed defensive reinforcements following injuries to Ruben Dias, John Stones and Josko Gvardiol.

Both Dias and Gvardiol were forced off in City’s most recent clash with Chelsea, which saw Guardiola’s side drop points after conceding an equaliser in the fourth minute of injury time.

The trio currently have no confirmed timeframes for their return to full fitness, which is a huge blow to Guardiola’s quest for success.

As a result, the transfer window could offer a lifeline during the second half of the campaign.

According to BBC Sport, Manchester City are intensifying their interest in Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guéhi.

Sources have told the publication that a January move cannot be discounted, with City expected to make a final decision once the extent of the injuries to Dias and Gvardiol has been determined.

There is no doubt that Guéhi is one of the most sought-after defenders in the Premier League, and with just six months remaining on his contract, interest is growing across Europe.

Real Madrid have been credited with interest in signing the England international when he becomes a free agent in the summer, while Liverpool’s late attempt to sign the centre-back on Deadline Day ultimately fell through.

Liverpool are said to be “attentive” to Guéhi’s situation, according to Fabrizio Romano, but there have been no attempts so far to revisit their previously agreed £35m deal from the summer during the opening days of the current window.

As a result, it appears City could have a clear run at securing the signature of the Palace skipper should they decide to move this January, but at what cost?

It is already known that the South London club agreed a fee of £35m with Liverpool last summer.

However, with interest in Guéhi still high, Palace may look to capitalise and generate a lucrative fee before he departs for nothing in the coming months.

It has been widely reported that the Eagles would now demand more than £35m to part ways with their talisman, who was once hailed as “exceptional” by Gareth Southgate, though no exact figure has been quoted.

With that in mind, the coming days could prove decisive in the Guéhi saga, as City weigh up their next steps and whether a move for the defender could spark a bidding war between interested parties.

Rebekka Arnold is an experienced writer with a strong background in digital media, PR and football journalism.

Since 2021, Rebekka has written opinion pieces and match reaction content for Football Fancast, part of the Snack Media network, building on her growing presence in the football community through viral Twitter content and podcasting.

Now at Transfer Tavern, Rebekka brings her sharp eye for analysis and deep passion for the game to deliver engaging football opinion and breaking transfer news content.