Pep Guardiola believes the signing of Marc Guehi will help his team now and in the future, stating that the defender can play multiple roles as the Sky Blues deal with injuries at the back and plan for the years ahead.
Manchester City completed the £20m signing of Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace on Monday afternoon. Guehi will not be able to play in Tuesday’s Champions League match against Bodo/Glimt, but he could make his City debut in Saturday’s Premier League game away at Wolves.
Guardiola is delighted to have secured the 25-year-old, who had attracted interest from several top clubs in England and Europe.
The City manager feels the defender’s age, quality and versatility make him an ideal fit for the squad, both immediately and over the long term.
A timely boost for City’s injury-hit defence
City moved quickly to sign Guehi after suffering a run of injuries in defence. Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol are both sidelined, joining John Stones on the treatment table.
The situation left Guardiola short of options at centre-back and forced the club to recall young defender Max Alleyne from his loan spell at Championship side Watford.
After Manchester City completed the £20m signing of Marc Guehi, they will have the much-needed cover and experience at a key moment in the season. Guardiola believes the former Chelsea and Crystal Palace defender can step straight into the team without needing a long period to settle.
“He’s a top central defender playing with the national team,” said Guardiola.
“Thanks to the club to bring him here. He has the perfect age for many years and can play right, left. I know how he wanted to choose us and help with the problems that we have in the back in the next few months so it’s really important that he’s here.”
Guehi’s ability to play on either side of central defence is seen as a major advantage. City often ask their defenders to be comfortable on the ball, switch positions during games and cover wide areas when full-backs push forward.
Guardiola has admired Guehi’s calm style for some time and feels he fits naturally into City’s way of playing.
The defender has grown into a regular for England, showing maturity and leadership despite his relatively young age.
That experience at international level was another factor in City’s decision to move quickly once it became clear their injury problems would not ease in the short term.
Although Guehi cannot feature in Europe this week, City hope he will be ready to contribute domestically straight away. With a busy run of league and cup matches coming up, Guardiola will welcome having another trusted option in his defensive rotation.
Planning for the future at the Etihad
While the immediate need was clear, Guardiola also sees Guehi as a long-term signing. The City manager believes the defender has the right mindset and qualities to become a key figure at the club for many seasons.
Guardiola has followed Guehi’s development for the past couple of years and was impressed not just by his performances, but also by his attitude.
He values defenders who are comfortable in possession, can bring the ball out from the back and make good decisions under pressure. Guehi’s dedication to improving his game also stood out.
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Manchester City completed the £20m signing of Marc Guehi as part of their wider planning for the future of the squad. John Stones has been a crucial player for Guardiola, especially in recent seasons where he has taken on hybrid roles between defence and midfield.
However, with Stones now in his late twenties and dealing with injuries, City have been looking at options who could eventually take on a similar role.
Guardiola identified Guehi as a potential long-term replacement for Stones, someone who can grow into the team and adapt to the manager’s tactical demands over time.
At 25, Guehi is entering what many see as the prime years of a defender’s career, combining experience with room for further development.
The competition for his signature underlined how highly rated he is across Europe. Guehi had interest from around six clubs, including Bayern Munich and Inter Milan.
He also came close to joining Liverpool last summer, only for Crystal Palace to block the move. This time, however, Palace were willing to negotiate, and City moved decisively.
