City confirm $26.8M Guehi signing from Palace

Manchester City have announced the signing of Marc Guéhi from Crystal Palace.

Guéhi will move for an initial fee of £20 million ($27m) plus add-ons.

The 25-year-old has signed a five-and-a-half year contract which will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2031.

The England centre-back arrived in Manchester on Sunday to complete his medical and sign his deal.

He’s not eligible to make his debut against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday, but could make his first appearance in the Premier League fixture against Wolves at the Etihad on Saturday.

“I am really happy and incredibly proud to be a Manchester City player,” Guéhi said.

“This move feels like the culmination of all the hard work I have put into my career. I am now at the best club in England and part of an unbelievable squad of players. It feels good to be able to say that.

“I love football — it has given me so much for so long — and to be able to continue my development at Manchester City is a really special moment for me and my family.

“I absolutely cannot wait to get started now. I want to meet my teammates, train hard, understand what the manager expects of me and then show the City fans what I can do.”

Sources have told ESPN that City brought forward a move for Guéhi following injuries to Josko Gvardiol, Rúben Dias and John Stones.

Club bosses had already decided to pursue a move for Guéhi in the summer when it looked like he might leave Selhurst Park as a free agent.

The former Chelsea youth team player becomes City’s second January signing following the £64m capture of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth.

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Sources have told ESPN that Semenyo was also on their summer transfer list before the opportunity arose to do the deal early.

Like Guéhi, Semenyo is ineligible to face Bodo/Glimt, but both players can be registered ahead of the knock-out rounds.

City sources are viewing Guehi and Semenyo’s decision to commit the peak years of their careers to the club — in the face of competition from some of the biggest clubs in the Premier League and across Europe — as evidence that their project remains one of the most attractive in the world, both in the short-term and long-term.

“It is clear Marc has been one of the best defenders in English football for quite some time now, so we are absolutely delighted to bring him to Manchester City,” Director of Football Hugo Viana said.

“Marc is entering the prime years of his career. I am sure every City fan is excited to see how good he can be in a sky blue shirt.”