Marc Guehi closes in on Manchester City transfer, Barcelona miss out

Marc Guehi is expected to complete a move to Manchester City after agreeing personal terms and lining up a medical ahead of a £20m transfer. The England international is set to join City this month, with talks accelerating after injuries left Pep Guardiola short of options in central defence.

The 25-year-old had entered the final stretch of his Crystal Palace contract and had been widely viewed as a summer opportunity, particularly – but not only – in Spain. FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atlético de Madrid all followed his situation closely, aware he could have been available on a free transfer once the season ended.

Now, that opportunity is gone as City reached an agreement with Palace, effectively ending interest from Spain before it developed into formal bids. Liverpool had also remained attentive after a failed attempt to sign Guehi last summer but were content to wait, a stance City did not share.

Barcelona’s interest was more advanced earlier in the winter. The club reportedly met with Guehi’s representatives and explored a pre-contract agreement, seeing him as a strong fit for Hansi Flick’s defensive structure. The move was ultimately ruled out because of wage demands that exceeded the club’s expectations, prompting the blaugrana to step back from negotiations.

As reported by Diario SPORT, that shift led to alternative proposals involving Axel Disasi and Nathan Aké, both of whom were offered as possible January reinforcements. Neither option convinced Barcelona’s sporting staff, particularly with City seeking mandatory purchase clauses and the club prioritizing long-term planning over short-term cover.

With Andreas Christensen sidelined and Ronald Araújo facing an uncertain future, Barcelona are expected to focus their resources on a left-footed centre-back in the summer, with Nico Schlotterbeck, Murillo, and Marcos Senesi all under consideration according to various reports.

At Palace, Guehi’s departure brings an end to a central figure of the club’s recent rise. Since arriving from Swansea in 2020, the Chelsea academy graduate made 188 appearances and captained the side during their historic FA Cup win at Wembley, a final that came against Manchester City.