Arsenal legend describes Marc Guehi as “dream player” crucial for Manchester City over next decade | OneFootball

Premier League icon and World Cup winner Patrick Vieira has described Marc Guehi as a “dream player” and someone who will be vital for Manchester City over the next decade. 

Vieira – who won the 1998 World Cup with France and captained Arsenal to the only ever ‘Invincibles’ title in England – signed Guehi for Crystal Palace from Chelsea in 2021, five days before the defender’s 21st birthday. 

Guehi became Palace’s third-highest record signing at £18 million and made his Premier League debut under Vieira at Stamford Bridge on the opening day of that same season, later captaining his side to FA Cup glory  after beating Manchester City at Wembley last season. 

Marc Guehi was notably on the brink of a move to Liverpool last summer, but despite completing the first part of his medical, the move broke down and he instead joined Pep Guardiola’s side last month on a five-and-a-half-year deal. 

Patrick Vieira — who played 46 times for Manchester City towards the end of his career — is certainly not surprised to see the centre-back now flourishing in the Premier League and believes Pep Guardiola has a flawless defender at his disposal.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Vieira said, “I think City have signed a top defender for the next 10 years. And they have signed a really good person as well, and I know how important it is for City not just to sign a good player, but a good human being, a good person and someone who is really professional. And I think Marc has all these qualities. 

“I think Marc is a dream player for a manager. Because you can interact with him, you can exchange ideas, and you can have a proper conversation, that can be a tactical side, or it can be something away from football.

“He is always concentrated, he’s always focussed, and he wants to improve himself, and he wants to challenge himself. And I think this is the quality that managers love about players.”

For Marc Guehi, the move signals a step up to one of the greatest teams of the modern era and Patrick Vieira insisted that there is no better team for him than Manchester City.

According to the former Arsenal midfielder, being coached by Pep Guardiola also welcomes the chance to become an even better talent in the coming years.

“For Marc himself, I think it will be really hard to find a better place than Manchester City. I think he’s going to be surrounded by top international players, top defenders, and I think he will raise his quality of game and that will improve him as a player as well,” he said.

“And, of course, having the chance to work with one of the most successful managers ever, I think everything is there for him to be a top, top player in the years coming.

“I think it would be difficult to find a better club than Man City for Marc. So when I saw the news, I was quite really happy for him, because I think he deserved to be in a place like that, so he can express his talent and his quality.”