Crystal Palace have publicly acknowledged the possibility of losing Marc Guéhi, as Manchester City weigh up a move for the England international amid a growing defensive crisis.
City have suffered a major blow at the start of 2026, with Joško Gvardiol and Rúben Dias both sidelined by injury. As a result, Pep Guardiola’s side are expected to move aggressively in the transfer market, and Guéhi has emerged as one of the leading candidates to reinforce the back line.
Guéhi’s Contract Situation Boosts City’s Chances
Guéhi’s current contract with Crystal Palace expires on June 30, meaning the defender is already free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs. Despite that, a January move remains possible if Manchester City make a convincing offer and the player signals his desire to leave.
Speaking ahead of Palace’s match against Aston Villa on Wednesday (7), manager Oliver Glasner admitted that the club is realistic about the situation.
“It could happen… I’m not naïve. I know that if a big offer comes from City and Marc wants to go, it will happen,” Glasner said.
Palace Open to Sale if Offer Is Right
While Crystal Palace would prefer to keep their captain, Glasner made it clear that financial considerations could outweigh sporting priorities if an exceptional proposal arrives.
Using a metaphor, the Austrian coach explained the club’s position:
“Let’s say I have a nice car, but I need money because it’s cold and my house window is broken. Someone makes a crazy offer. I don’t want to sell my car, I love my car… but I also don’t want to freeze.”
He continued:
“So you say: ‘If you give me the money to fix the house, I’ll sell the car.’ That’s the situation. I don’t want to sell the car — but sometimes you have to.”
Manchester City Monitoring Closely
Glasner emphasized that the club’s priority remains sporting stability, but acknowledged that Guéhi’s contract situation places Palace in a vulnerable position.
“Everyone wants him to stay, to renew and remain here forever. But his contract is nearing its end, everyone has their eye on our car, and it’s freezing out there,” he added.
“If the club decides that the financial side becomes more important than the sporting side, then business will be done.”
Guéhi, who captains Palace and is a regular with the England national team, continues to attract interest from Europe’s elite. With Manchester City facing defensive shortages, the coming weeks could be decisive in determining his future.
