Manchester City Announce Sign Defender Marc Guehi

Manchester City have completed the signing of England defender Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace on a five-and-a-half-year contract, the Premier League champions announced on Monday.

City accelerated their move for the 25-year-old centre-back amid an injury crisis in defence, with the deal reportedly worth around £20 million ($27 million). 

The transfer had been widely expected in recent days.

“I am really happy and incredibly proud to be a Manchester City player,” Guehi said in a statement released by the club. 

“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.”

He added: “I want to grow as a player and as a person, and I know at this club that’s going to happen.”

City’s director of football, Hugo Viana, praised the defender, describing Guehi as “one of the best defenders in English football for quite some time now.”

“He is only 25, but he has already shown he is a leader, a brilliant professional and someone desperate to improve,” Viana said. “We feel we have signed a huge talent who will help us improve.”

Guehi becomes City’s second signing of the January transfer window following the arrival of winger Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth last week in a deal reported to be worth around £65 million.

The England international captained Crystal Palace to FA Cup victory in May, defeating Manchester City to secure the first major trophy in Palace’s history. 

Guehi has earned 26 caps for England and had also attracted interest from clubs including Liverpool and Bayern Munich, with a potential free transfer looming at the end of the season.

Palace manager Oliver Glasner had indicated last week that negotiations were close to completion.

Pep Guardiola’s side currently sit second in the Premier League, seven points behind leaders Arsenal, and have been hit by defensive absences, with John Stones, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol all missing from Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford.