The English Football League (EFL) has turned down Manchester City's request to have defender Marc Guehi available for the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal on March 22. The club signed Guehi from Crystal Palace in a potential £30 million deal after the first leg of the semi-final, rendering him ineligible for the remainder of the competition under current rules.
EFL regulations allow players to feature for two different teams in the same Carabao Cup campaign, but only if they are registered before the first leg of the round in which they debut. Guehi joined City after the first leg of the semi-final against Newcastle United, meaning he missed the second leg and cannot play in the final. City boss Pep Guardiola had hoped to overturn the ruling, but the EFL has insisted on no exception.
Guardiola expressed frustration, calling the decision 'pure logic' that Guehi should be eligible. 'I don't understand why he cannot play the final. You buy a player for a lot of money and he is not able to play for a rule I don't understand,' he said. The manager confirmed the club would request a change, but those pleas have been rejected.
The ruling is a setback for Guardiola, who is already without injured defenders Ruben Dias, John Stones, and Josko Gvardiol. For Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, the news is a significant boost ahead of the Wembley showdown.
