Manchester City finally won the transfer battle over Liverpool and Chelsea to the signing of £80m best Midfielder in Europe who have just scored 15 goals this season so far – Deal set to be completed soon as Pep Guardiola Second January signing

Manchester City are actively pursuing a deal with Crystal Palace to secure Marc Guehi during the current transfer window, following a defensive injury crisis, according to recent reports.

Guehi has become a top transfer priority for City after both Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol picked up injuries during a 1-1 Premier League stalemate with Chelsea several weeks ago, which left Pep Guardiola with limited defensive options.

In response, officials at the Etihad Stadium have brought back academy product Max Alleyne from his loan spell at Watford, with the 20-year-old featuring in matches against Brighton and Exeter City during his opening week back in the north-west.

Nevertheless, there’s a recognition within the club that City must strengthen their defensive line to maintain their trophy ambitions as they navigate competition across four different competitions and pursue Premier League leaders Arsenal in what could deliver a fifth league championship in six seasons for the Manchester club.

Nathan Ake’s injury history over the past 18 months means Guardiola cannot rely on the 30-year-old for consistent weekly appearances while Gvardiol and Dias are unavailable, with the former facing a four to five-month layoff and the latter expected to miss another month of action.

John Stones continues to be unavailable and similarly to Ake, the 31-year-old’s long-term prospects at the Etihad Stadium remain highly uncertain, with recent statements from Guardiola suggesting that Manchester City might finally say goodbye to one of the Catalan manager’s most enduring players at the club.

Abdukodir Khusanov is anticipated to shoulder significant defensive responsibilities while Gvardiol and Dias recover, but Manchester City have already pinpointed Crystal Palace and England defender Marc Guehi as a crucial target for reinforcement during the January transfer period.

According to Miguel Delaney’s reporting for Independent Sport, City are determined to navigate any challenges necessary to bring Guehi from Selhurst Park before the current transfer window closes.

The 25-year-old is poised to depart Crystal Palace when his existing contract expires at the conclusion of the current season, with Liverpool and Arsenal both monitoring the England international should he opt to remain at Palace until the summer months.

Guehi is understood to prefer fulfilling his contractual obligations in south London and departing Crystal Palace once the season concludes, but Manchester City are working diligently to persuade both Guehi and the Eagles that an immediate transfer makes the most sense.

City have initiated negotiations with Palace regarding a transfer, showing willingness to equal competing bids – with recent speculation indicating that the Eagles are valuing their captain above the £35 million figure they had previously agreed upon with Liverpool last summer before negotiations collapsed.

Whether Guehi will be enticed by the prospect of competing for silverware this season remains uncertain – a decisive element that proved influential in convincing Antoine Semenyo to join Guardiola’s squad from Bournemouth during the mid-season transfer period.