Manchester City Urged To Move In For This Crystal Palace Defender: Should Pep Go For Him? | OneFootball

In a recent interview with Sports Mole, Stuart Pearce urged his former club to move in for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi this summer. Pearce said,

“When they won the Champions League a couple of years ago, I think they won it on being very, very tough to score against.

“That was their key that season. Everything fell into place.

“The back four was pretty consistent and played extremely well together. Kyle Walker dealt with any problems. They had that extra bit at the back. That was their strong card.

“It does worry me a little bit. If I was in their situation, Marc Guehi would be one I would go after. I’m a big fan of this kid. He’s got the ability to deal with things one-on-one on the counter-attack.

“You’ve got to be good at that if you’re a Manchester City player in the expansive way they play. But if anything’s going to be their Achilles heel, it’s going to be that back line again.”

Guehi’s Impressive Form In English Football Last Season

The English defensive ace had a solid campaign at the London club after he put in a string of impressive displays for them on the defensive third of the pitch. Guehi deserves a ton of credit for helping Crystal Palace win the FA Cup last season. He netted three times and picked up a couple of assists in 44 appearances for the Eagles in the previous campaign across various competitions.

LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 24: Marc Guehi of England during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifier between England and Latvia at Wembley Stadium on March 24, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Harry Murphy/Getty Images)

The 25-year-old was a rock at the back and did well to make 61 tackles, 55 blocks and 28 interceptions in Premier League football. Guehi was even tidy when distributing possession after completing 83.5% of his attempted passes in the English first division (stats via fbref.com).

Should Manchester City Boss Pep Guardiola Go For Guehi?

Guehi is a solid tackler of the ball and can scan the danger well to earn the ball back for his team inside his half. He doesn’t mind clearing the danger when required and can play his way out from the back.

Guehi would add a lot of quality to Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola‘s defence. He is good enough to secure a regular starting place at the Etihad Stadium next season.

At 25, Guehi has his peak years ahead of him which makes him an excellent option for the Mancunian giants to pursue this summer. Hence, Guardiola should focus on listening to Pearce’s advice by going for a defender of his skill set this off-season.