Manchester City have completed the £20m signing of defender, Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace.
Guehi had found himself the subject of heavy interest from Newcastle and Liverpool in recent transfer windows but Palace rejected multiple bids from both clubs over the last year of around £65m at maximum, whilst a deadline-day move to the latter in September collapsed after the Eagles weren’t able to recruit a replacement player.
The 25-year-old’s contract however is set to expire this summer and with extremely little prospect of him signing a new contract at Selhurst Park, Palace decided to accept an offer of £20m plus an unspecified sell-on clause from Man City.
Guehi has signed a five-and-a-half year contract at City until June 2031 and told mancity.com upon signing that he is “proud” to make the move and develop his game.
“I am really happy and incredibly proud to be a Manchester City player.
“This move feels like the culmination of all the hard work I have put into my career. I am now at the best club in England and part of an unbelievable squad of players. It feels good to be able to say that.
“I want to grow as a player and a person, and I know at this club that’s going to happen.
“I love football – it has given me so much for so long – and to be able to continue my development at Manchester City is a really special moment for me and my family.
“I absolutely cannot wait to get started now. I want to meet my teammates, train hard, understand what the manager expects of me and then show the City fans what I can do.”
City’s Director of Football, Hugo Viana added: “It is clear Marc has been one of the best defenders in English football for quite some time now, so we are absolutely delighted to bring him to Manchester City,” Viana said.
“I feel we have signed a huge talent who will help us improve. He is only 25, but he has shown already he is a leader, a brilliant professional and someone desperate to improve.
“He is strong, has exceptional defensive qualities, is an intelligent reader of the game, and brings passion and energy every time he steps onto the pitch.
“I am so pleased it was us he chose to join.
“Marc is entering the prime years of his career. I am sure every City fan is excited to see how good he can be in a sky blue shirt.”
Guehi began his career with Cray Wanderers before he moved to Chelsea in 2007 where he only managed to make two senior appearances for the Blues, which both came in the 2019-20 EFL Cup before he spent 18 months on loan at Swansea from January 2021.
The defender made 61 appearances during his time in Swansea as they finished fourth in the 2020-21 Championship season, but missed out on promotion to Brentford in the play-off final.
His performances ultimately saw him move to Palace in July 2021 and has gone on to score 11 goals in 188 appearances, during which he was part of Palace’s maiden FA Cup title-winning squad last season and also featured in their FA Community Shield success at the start of this season.
Guehi is an England international and represented the Three Lions from Under-16 to Under-21 level, before he made his senior debut in March 2022 in a 2-1 friendly victory over Switzerland, and has since gone on to make 23 appearances and was part of the runner-up squad at UEFA Euro 2024.
Guehi’s debut for City is set to take place on Saturday 24 January in a Premier League clash against Wolves at the Etihad Stadium in a 3pm GMT kick-off.
“grateful” to represent Palace
Ahead of his move to City, Guehi conducted a farewell interview with PalaceTV in which he spoke of having felt “grateful” to represent the Eagles and be captain of a team who he considers to be “family” in his life.
“I’m so incredibly grateful to have played at this Football Club. So many great players have come here and left their mark, and just to be someone who’s stepped into this club and been able to play in front of these incredible fans… it’s been such an amazing journey for me.
“To wear the armband for this Football Club has been such a blessing. Knowing that I had the support of every single fan was amazing. The culture of the squad, the culture of the Football Club, is encapsulated by the fans, by the community, and what South London means to every single person – and what South London means to me.
“The word ‘family’ comes to mind and when I think of family, I think of people sticking by each other. It didn’t matter what moment or what season we were in, the fans were always supportive. Not just as a player, but as a person, you can’t ask for anything more, and so I just want to say a big ‘thank you’.
“Thank you so much for everything you have done for me, for the opportunity to play in the Premier League, for the opportunity to captain the Football Club, and for the opportunity for just a normal kid to realise his dream.”
Palace Chairman, Steve Parish added: “There is never an easy time to bid farewell to a player of Marc’s calibre and character, but we respect his desire to play football at the highest level.
“Marc’s qualities on the pitch speak for themselves. His talent as a footballer continues to shine for both club and country, and he has truly matured, during his time in South London, into a top-class defender, a leader on the field, and a vital player for his country.
“But it is equally important to recognise Marc Guéhi the man – a South London local with an exemplary mentality on and off the pitch, and whose leadership saw him go on to captain the club at an early age, before leading us to one of our finest days at Wembley Stadium. Marc’s humble character and maturity throughout his time with us is a shining beacon in today’s game.
“He will stay in all our hearts, and – although it is sad to bid him farewell – he deserves to depart with our very best wishes for the future. Good luck, Marc – and thank you.”
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