Manchester City are being urged to rival Liverpool in the race for Marc Guehi, with Manuel Akanji’s potential exit opening the door for a defensive reshuffle at the Etihad.
Despite Liverpool and Arsenal’s perfect starts leaving City three points off the pace, Pep Guardiola is focused on their next fixture against Brighton rather than the table. Off the pitch, however, City are busy finalising transfer business, with sales a priority. Ilkay Gundogan is close to leaving, while Akanji has drawn interest from clubs including Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen.
City’s willingness to move Akanji on hinges on securing a quality replacement — and Guehi fits the bill. Palace’s captain is admired by Guardiola, and a deal could simultaneously strengthen City while denting Liverpool’s plans.
Valued at around £35–45m, Guehi offers proven Premier League experience with nearly 200 senior appearances. His pace, strength, and defensive intelligence make him an ideal fit for Guardiola’s system, especially with John Stones and Nathan Ake often injured, Ruben Dias out of form, and younger defenders still developing.
Liverpool remain in the hunt, but Palace may prefer dealing with City if Akanji is included in negotiations. Journalist David Ornstein reports Guehi is open to leaving but only if game time, role, and contract terms are right.
For City, this represents a chance to secure one of England’s most reliable defenders while disrupting a rival’s transfer strategy — a move that could prove decisive in the title
