Marc Guehi to Man City ‘deal agreed’ as Oliver Glasner confirms Crystal Palace exit is in “final stages”

Oliver Glasner has confirmed that Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi is in the “final stages” to join another club in the January transfer window.

The 25-year-old England international is out of contract at the end of the season and has subsequently been the subject of intense speculation for some time amid reported interest from a host of top European clubs.

Guehi was on the verge of completing a £35m switch to Liverpool on the final day of the summer transfer window, only for Palace to pull the plug at the eleventh hour after they were unable to sign a replacement.

The reigning Premier League champions have retained a firm interest in the defender, while the likes of Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan have also been credited with an interest.

However, Manchester City now appear to be in pole position to win the race for Guehi’s signature after expressing their willingness to finalise a permanent transfer this month, rather than wait until the summer when the defender would become a free agent.

Guehi to leave Palace this month as Man City transfer is in “final stages”

Recent reports have claimed that a ‘big approach’ for Guehi has been made by Man City in the last 12 hours, with the defender receiving an ‘important proposal’ relating to terms on a contract.

BBC Sport now claims that Man City have agreed a deal in principle to sign Guehi and he is expected to put pen to paper on a long-term contract this month.

"My latest understanding is that a deal with Marc is in the final stages,” Glasner told reporters on Friday.” I can't confirm a club, because it's still not done but it's in the final stages.”

Glasner - who has also confirmed his own departure at the end of the season - added that Guehi “doesn't play” for Palace in Saturday’s Premier League clash with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

This huge news comes after Glasner admitted earlier this month that the “final decision is always with the player” and Guehi could be sold if a “massive offer” is received by the club.

It has previously been suggested that Guehi would prefer to remain at Palace in January and see out the remainder of the season before reassessing his options in the summer when he becomes a free agent.

Market regulations allow Guehi to sign a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs from this month onwards, with Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona among the European giants who are capable of presenting an attractive proposal.

However, Guehi has seemingly been persuade by Man City to join the Premier League title hopefuls this month and bolster a backline that has been hit with injuries in recent weeks.

Guehi to bolster injury-hit Man City defence

Pep Guardiola is currently having to cope without Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias and John Stones due to injury, with the former likely to miss the rest of the season with a tibial fracture.

City have coped well with Abdukodir Khusanov and Max Alleyne at centre-back in recent matches, while Nathan Ake is another defensive options at Guardiola’s disposal, but the club now looks set to add an experienced Premier League-proven star in Guehi to their ranks.

Guehi has made 188 appearances for Crystal Palace since joining from Chelsea in 2021 and has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League.

A strong contender to start in defence for Thomas Tuchel’s England at the 2026 World Cup, Guehi led the Eagles to FA Cup glory in the 2024-25 campaign, beating Man City in the final at Wembley to lift the club’s first-ever major trophy.

This term, Guehi has played 33 times for Palace in all competitions for a Palace outfit sitting 13th in the Premier League table and only five points behind the top five.