Liverpool Set to Miss Out on Marc Guehi as Man City Close in on £30m Deal

Liverpool’s long-running pursuit of Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi appears to be nearing an end, with Manchester City reportedly confident they have won the race for the England international.

Both Premier League giants have been in talks over the 25-year-old centre-back, with Liverpool coming close to signing Guehi last summer before Crystal Palace pulled the plug on the move on deadline day. That decision opened the door for City, who have since accelerated negotiations.

According to reports, Pep Guardiola’s side believe a £30 million deal is effectively agreed, with City offering Palace a fee the London club is unwilling to turn down. Guehi is also said to be keen on working under Guardiola, who is eager to strengthen his defence following recent injury setbacks to Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias.

Guardiola has reportedly pushed City’s hierarchy to finalise the transfer swiftly as the club continues its push for domestic and European success.

Guehi’s current contract runs until June, and several top European clubs, including Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan, have been monitoring his situation with a view to a potential free transfer in the summer. Liverpool were among those hoping to revisit a move if Palace failed to sell in January.

However, City’s progress now looks set to force Liverpool to explore alternative defensive targets as they plan squad reinforcements over the next transfer windows.

Palace manager Oliver Glasner, when asked about Guehi’s future, insisted he had no clarity on the situation. “As long as I don’t know anything else, I will always tell you the same,” Glasner said. “I don’t know what will happen with Marc.”

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot also declined to comment directly on the speculation, reiterating that he would not discuss players contracted to other clubs. He added that while the club would like more depth at centre-back, financial discipline remains key to Liverpool’s transfer strategy.

If completed, Guehi’s move to the Etihad Stadium would represent a significant blow to Liverpool’s defensive plans and a major boost to Manchester City ahead of the remainder of the season.