Manchester City sign England defender Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace on a long-term deal to address their defensive injury crisis.
MANCHESTER City have completed the signing of England defender Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace.
The Premier League champions announced the centre-back has joined on a five-and-a-half-year contract.
City moved for Guehi in a deal reportedly worth £20 million amid an acute injury crisis in central defence.
“I am really happy and incredibly proud to be a Manchester City player,” Guehi said in a club statement.
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“This move feels like the culmination of all the hard work I have put into my career.”
City’s director of football Hugo Viana described Guehi as “one of the best defenders in English football for quite some time now”.
“He is only 25, but he has shown already he is a leader, a brilliant professional and someone desperate to improve,” Viana added.
Guehi is City’s second signing of the January window after the £65 million capture of winger Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth.
The defender captained Palace to their historic FA Cup final victory over City last May.
He has won 26 caps for England and was close to joining Liverpool on transfer deadline day in September.
Other clubs including Liverpool and Bayern Munich were reportedly interested in a move for the soon-to-be free agent.
Palace manager Oliver Glasner said on Friday he understood the deal was in its final stages.
Pep Guardiola’s side, currently second and seven points behind Arsenal, lost 2-0 to Manchester United on Saturday.
Key central defenders John Stones, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol were all absent for that defeat at Old Trafford. – AFP
