Manchester City are weighing up a move for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guéhi, with the south London club expected to demand around £40m for the defender, who is out of contract at the end of the season. The fee is £5m more than the price quoted to Liverpool last summer, reflecting the disruption to Palace's campaign if Guéhi departs and the need to replace the 25-year-old.
City's interest comes after Josko Gvardiol sustained a tibial fracture to his right leg during Sunday's 1-1 draw with Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium. The club confirmed the 23-year-old will undergo surgery, and while no timeline has been given, he is likely to be sidelined for an extended period. Rúben Dias was also injured in the same match, with his prognosis still unclear, and John Stones is already absent with a persistent injury, leaving Pep Guardiola without three frontline centre-backs. Nathan Aké's fitness is also a concern, prompting City to target Guéhi.
However, it is unclear whether Guéhi would choose to move now, as he would lose a sizeable signing-on fee by leaving before his contract expires. As a first-choice centre-back for Thomas Tuchel's England side, he also needs to guarantee consistent playing time ahead of this summer's World Cup. Beyond City, Guéhi remains of interest to Liverpool, as well as European clubs Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
Regarding Gvardiol, a City statement read: 'The defender will have surgery later this week and assessment remains ongoing to ascertain the full extent of the injury and expected prognosis. Everyone at the club wishes Josko a speedy recovery.' The Croatia international said on X: 'This is a hard moment, but it will never define me. I know who I am and where I come from. I will fight every day to return stronger.'
