Manchester City is finalizing the transfer agreement for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi. A deal worth £20 million, including add-on bonuses and a sell-on clause, is on the verge of completion, with the England international set to join City on a contract running until June 2031.
In addition to the £20 million transfer fee, Manchester City also paid a substantial commission to Guehi’s agent. The contract includes a 10% sell-on clause, allowing Crystal Palace to profit from any future transfer of the player.
It is understood that Guehi requested a weekly salary of around £300,000, but sources close to Manchester City claim the final agreed amount is lower than this figure.
Only such determination and financial strength could seal the deal, because just a few weeks ago, a renewal in January seemed far from reach.
After his proposed move to Liverpool collapsed on transfer deadline day last summer, Guehi decided not to renew his contract with Crystal Palace, instead choosing to see out the remainder of the deal he signed in 2021.
Starting from January 1, Guehi was free to negotiate with overseas clubs. In recent weeks, his agent has held talks with several interested teams, with Bayern Munich’s offer reportedly being highly competitive according to sources.
Until recently, Crystal Palace had been keen to keep their captain, and Guehi himself was in no rush to leave. Although he was disappointed at failing to join Anfield last September, he was happy at Crystal Palace, where he was able to secure regular high-level playing time – a crucial factor in a World Cup year.
Guehi also knew that his salary would rise significantly this summer, as interested clubs would not have to pay a transfer fee to sign him.
He was inclined to play abroad, but with Real Madrid having decided to abandon their pursuit, and Barcelona and Atletico Madrid – both of which had shown strong interest – unable to afford his transfer fee, Spain did not seem a realistic option.
Manchester City are delighted to have signed Guehi, as they have long been admirers of the player. His arrival not only boosts the team’s homegrown player quota, but also helps ease the club’s current injury crisis – centre-backs Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and John Stones are all currently sidelined with injuries.
Stones’ contract expires this summer, and he is likely to leave on a free transfer, making Guehi’s arrival effectively a replacement for him. However, Manchester City’s decision to sign Guehi ahead of their rivals can be interpreted in two ways.
City are pleased to have secured the England international at his peak for a transfer fee far lower than what would have been required if he was still under contract at Crystal Palace. But some have pointed out that if Guehi was still contracted to Palace, City would have had to pay an even smaller fee.
Many top European clubs were willing to pay high costs this summer, but now they are either unable or unwilling to do so.
Liverpool were once considered the frontrunners in the race to sign Guehi, having come very close to securing his signature last September. Guehi was undergoing a medical at a private clinic in London when Crystal Palace ultimately rejected the deal.
Crystal Palace pulled out of the transfer because they could not find a suitable replacement, and manager Oliver Glasner was deeply unhappy about selling his captain so close to the transfer window closing.
Earlier last week, Manchester City viewed Liverpool as their biggest rival to sign Guehi this month, but the situation turned out to be quite different. Liverpool have decided to try again to sign Guehi in the summer of 2026, and hope the player himself will wait until then.
When they learned that Crystal Palace were set to complete the deal this month, along with the total cost of the transfer fee and wages, they decided to pull out, deeming the deal financially unviable.
At the end of 2025, Bayern made a full effort to sign Guehi, with his England national team teammate Harry Kane and former Crystal Palace colleague Michael Olise both contacting him. The German club made an attractive offer, but they also planned to complete the deal in the summer transfer window.
