What Guehi's Transfer Means for Manchester City and Their Rivals

Never doubt Manchester City's allure in the transfer market. For the umpteenth time, they have once again proven their appeal to players. This time, it is Crystal Palace center-back Marc Guehi who is tempted to join the team managed by Pep Guardiola.

City, according to BBC Sport, agreed to buy Guehi from Palace for £20 million (Rp 452.7 billion) on Friday (January 16, 2026). The transfer was confirmed by Palace head coach Oliver Glasner. "The deal is in the final stages," Glasner said.

The transfer situation suddenly took a turn. Previously, Guehi, whose contract was set to expire in the summer, was reported to remain with Palace until the end of the season. Major clubs, such as Liverpool and Arsenal, preferred to wait for the player to become a free agent.

Only City, the team that intends to bring in the 25-year-old player during the January transfer window. The transfer fee is considered quite high for a player who has less than six months remaining on his contract. However, City is determined to pursue Guehi. The player has also been offered a substantial salary to change his mind.

Why is City so determined to bring in Guehi? In fact, the England national team defender was not part of the transfer plans before the turn of the year. The main reason is that two of City's core center-backs, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol, suffered injuries at the beginning of the year.

Gvardiol will be sidelined until the end of the season, while Dias may return at the earliest next month. Various solutions have been proposed by the club management. In addition to targeting Guehi, City has also recalled 20-year-old defender Max Alleyne, who was previously on loan at Watford.

Veteran defender John Stones had already been sidelined in early December. "Without John, Ruben, and Josko, we are in a difficult situation (from a defensive standpoint) not just for one match, but for an extended period. Ruben will return soon, and hopefully, John will follow," said Guardiola.

The current situation is actually not as bad as the manager feared. Their defense remains solid at this time, as demonstrated by their 2-0 victory over Newcastle in the first semifinal of the English League Cup. Backup defenders Abdukodir Khusanov and Alleyne have successfully addressed the doubts. The situation will further improve with the return of Dias and Stones.

To be honest, we are quite confident (that we can catch up with Arsenal). We all feel that we are truly developing this season, and that is a good sign. We believe we have not yet reached our full potential.

Guardiola stated at the beginning of the season that City was in a transitional phase. They were not yet targeting the championship as they were refreshing the squad over the past year. However, that plan seems to have changed along the way. City's transition has turned out to be quicker than expected.

Erling Haaland and his teammates are ready to compete for the championship title in all competitions. This is evident as they are just one step away from the League Cup final. City is only six points behind league leaders Arsenal in the English Premier League and is positioned at the top of their Champions League group.

The ambition for the championship is emphasized by City's key midfielder Tijjani Reijnders. "To be honest, we are quite confident (in being able to catch up with Arsenal). We all feel that we are truly developing this season, and that is a good sign. We feel that we have not yet reached our full potential," he stated.

From Reijnders' statement, City's aggressive movement in this transfer market seems reasonable. They certainly will not panic in bringing in new players in the middle of the season if they are still in a transitional phase. City is moving quickly because they see a significant championship potential by the end of the season.

All of this makes more sense when considering the overall activities of "The Citizens." At the beginning of the year, they brought in winger Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth even though there was no player crisis in that position. Guardiola is preparing the best squad to compete in the second half of the season.

From a club management perspective, the significant investment seems quite reasonable. Guardiola is under contract until the summer of 2027, but there are rumors that he will leave at the end of the season. If true, this season will be Guardiola's last opportunity to contribute a trophy. The club fully supports the manager.

From the manager's perspective, Guardiola appears to be starting to build a legacy for his successor. He does not want to leave the club with a poorly conditioned squad. This is what has led City to acquire a multitude of players worth over 500 million pounds since January 2025.

Guehi is also part of City’s future plans following the Guardiola era. He is projected to replace Stones, who will be a free agent next summer. Additionally, Guehi is regarded as Stones' successor in the England national team.

Certainly, Guehi's presence will significantly enhance City's strength. Since the beginning of last season, the athletic player has ranked among the top ten defenders in the Premier League, with impressive records in terms of clean sheets, aerial duels, and progressive passes. His potential is increasingly limitless under Guardiola.

That's why rival teams need to be careful from now on. The chase for City is about to get underway. (AP/REUTERS)