Manchester City reach £20m agreement for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi | OneFootball

Manchester City have reached an agreement with Crystal Palace to sign captain Marc Guehi in a deal worth £20 million during the winter transfer window.

The England centre-back is expected to complete the move this month after talks accelerated significantly over the past 24 hours.

City moved decisively after injuries to Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias left Pep Guardiola short of senior defensive options.

The 25-year-old has been on City’s radar for some time and was widely expected to attract interest from Europe’s elite once his Palace contract entered its final year.

With his deal expiring in the summer, Palace faced the prospect of losing their captain for nothing at the end of the season.

The agreement includes a base fee of £20m, potential add-ons and a sell-on clause.

Personal terms have not yet been formally finalised, but are not expected to present any obstacles.

Guehi is now set to sign a long-term contract at the Etihad Stadium once the final paperwork is completed.

Palace manager Oliver Glasner confirmed this week that the transfer is in its closing stages.

Glasner also revealed that Guehi will not feature against Sunderland this weekend as the move nears completion.

The defender’s exit comes shortly after Glasner confirmed he will leave Palace at the end of the season.

Guehi joined Palace from Chelsea in 2021 and quickly established himself as one of the Premier League’s most reliable central defenders.

He went on to captain the club and played a central role in their most successful period. Guehi lifted the FA Cup after Palace beat Manchester City in the final at Wembley Stadium last season.

Despite heavy transfer speculation, Guehi has missed only one match this term and was praised by Glasner for his professionalism.

A £35m move to Liverpool collapsed late on deadline day last summer, with Palace and the player maintaining an informal understanding until January.

City’s approach was brought forward due to their injury crisis, with Gvardiol sidelined for several months and Dias out for up to six weeks.

They have already strengthened this month with the signing of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth.

The sale represents a significant financial return for Palace and a pragmatic decision given the defender’s contract situation.

Guehi leaves Selhurst Park as one of the most influential players in the club’s history and an established England international.