Manchester City eye January deal for Crystal Palace star amid Antoine Semenyo pursuit | OneFootball

Hugo Viana and Manchester City may not end their January transfer business in the way of arrivals at the signing of Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo.

While the Bournemouth forward remains a priority name on City’s shortlist, recruitment planning at the Etihad Stadium is broader in scope as the club assesses multiple areas of the squad.

Pep Guardiola has repeatedly highlighted the need for balance across competitions, particularly during the congested second half of the season, and January has increasingly become a window used to address short-term gaps as well as longer-term concerns.

Defensive depth has been a recurring theme for Manchester City in recent campaigns, with injuries and availability issues often forcing Guardiola into makeshift solutions, with midfielders and full-backs deployed in unfamiliar roles.

Although City boast elite centre-back options, the club’s hierarchy are believed to be evaluating whether additional reinforcement is required to stabilise the backline during a decisive period of the season.

Marc Guehi’s profile fits closely with the type of player Manchester City have targeted in recent years. The Crystal Palace captain is Premier League-proven, an established England international, and comfortable playing in possession systems. His leadership qualities and consistency have stood out at Selhurst Park, even amid sustained transfer speculation linking him with some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Now, according to the information of Manchester City insider ‘Tolmie’s Hairdoo’ on X, Etihad Stadium officials are in for the Crystal Palace and England international centre-back for the January transfer window.

If such a move were to materialise, it would represent a significant shift from earlier expectations that Guehi would not be available until later in the year. Crystal Palace have previously resisted interest in their captain, viewing him as central to their ambitions under Oliver Glasner, and any January negotiation would likely require a financial commitment.

From City’s perspective, a mid-season move could be framed as both opportunistic and strategic. Securing Guehi in January would reduce uncertainty surrounding future defensive planning while also strengthening the squad for the business end of domestic and European competitions. It would also potentially remove the risk of increased competition.

Whether Palace are prepared to sanction such a deal midway through the campaign remains unclear, particularly given Guehi’s importance both on and off the pitch. However, with City continuing to explore multiple avenues in the market alongside their pursuit of Semenyo, the coming weeks could prove decisive.