Liverpool transfer stance explained as Marc Guehi set to join Man City for £20m

Long-term Liverpool transfer target Marc Guehi is set to move to Premier League rivals Man City from Crystal Palace

Manchester City are on the verge of winning the race to sign long-term Liverpool transfer target Marc Guehi. Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has confirmed Guehi is close to moving to the Etihad outfit, with a fee of around £20million having reportedly been thrashed out for a player who is out of contract at the London club at the end of the season.

Liverpool had agreed a deal believed to be worth an initial £35m for Guehi on deadline day in September only for Palace to pull the plug at the last minute due to their failure to recruit another centre-back.

The Reds have remained keen on the player and willing to put together an offer in the summer when the England international was expected to attract a host of suitors.

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Now, though, City’s desperation to address an injury crisis at centre-back has prompted them to move for Guehi with Palace having accepted the fee rather than lose the 25-year-old for nothing in a few months.

The ECHO understands Liverpool do not regard signing Guehi this month as a market opportunity compared to last September and this coming summer, and are thus unlikely to change their stance over resisting a late effort to gazump City.

Glasner, who also confirmed he was leaving as Palace boss at the end of the season, said on Friday afternoon: “My understanding is that a deal with Marc is in its final stages. It is not done, but as a result, Marc doesn’t play for us.

“I mentioned it a few weeks ago, I was pretty clear, every player and depending on his contract has their price and if we want to do it. When the player says, ‘I want to move’, it looks like that is going to happen now.

“Everyone wanted Marc to stay forever but reality is different. I talked to him, it stays between us but I think Marc has shown it in the summer transfer window, it in the whole season so far that he was 100% committed.

“I wish him all the best for his career, he will have a great one. He’s still at the beginning, he has a fantastic future.”

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