Manchester City submit official bid to Crystal Palace for Marc Guehi – Personal terms close to completion | OneFootball

Hugo Viana and Manchester City are seemingly progressing with serious intent over the signing of Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, according to reports.

The latest developments marks the clearest escalation yet in City’s pursuit of the England international, following weeks of speculation, and having initially exploring the feasibility of a January deal amid mounting defensive injuries, City now appear to have moved decisively.

The urgency in the market has been driven largely by Pep Guardiola’s defensive crisis following injuries to Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, John Stones, and ongoing concerns surrounding Nathan Aké’s ability to perform consistently amid a relentless run of matches.

Max Alleyne was recalled from a loan spell at Watford as emergency cover, and despite his strong start to life at the club, the consensus within appears to be that an experienced, top-level defender is required for the second half of the season and the future.

Previous reports suggested Guehi was open to running down his contract and leaving Crystal Palace on a free transfer in the summer, especially given the substantial signing-on bonuses he could command. City, meanwhile, were reluctant to overpay in January, while Palace insisted only a “massive offer” would make them consider selling their captain mid-season.

Now, according to the information of Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg and Patrick Berger, Manchester City are set to submit an official bid to Crystal Palace for Marc Guehi, expected to be worth around £30 million.

From the side of personal terms, such details are ‘not an issue’, while an agreement between the two clubs is also ‘not expected to be an issue’ and as such a move to the Etihad Stadium could now progress quickly.

As for Bayern Munich, who have held a long-standing interest in the player, the Bundesliga champions are reportedly ‘now almost without a chance’, despite new phone calls made over the defender’s future services.

Further reporting from Fabrizio Romano following his morning update has since clarified that an offer from the Etihad Stadium has also been lodged, while The Times’ Gary Jacob reports that City are close to agreeing personal terms with Guehi.

It is claimed that those at the Etihad Stadium are now prepared to compensate the England international defender for the money he would receive as a free agent in the summer, and also beat other offers to the player in the process.

These updates build directly on Fabrizio Romano’s earlier revelation that City had already made a “big approach” to Guehi, presenting a significant contract proposal and positioning themselves to proceed formally with Crystal Palace.

From a tactical perspective, Marc Guehi would provide Pep Guardiola with an immediate solution, being Premier League-proven, internationally experienced, comfortable in leadership, and an ability to slot straight into a high-pressure environment.

The next steps are likely to centre on Crystal Palace’s formal response to Manchester City’s offer, and should negotiations proceed smoothly, the deal could move quickly toward completion – potentially making Guehi City’s second major addition in January following the arrival of Antoine Semenyo.