Daniel Sturridge makes feelings clear on Liverpool missing out on Marc Guehi to Man City

Former Liverpool forward Daniel Sturridge believes Manchester City have 'put a marker down' following the news of Marc Guehi's move from Crystal Palace to the Etihad

Daniel Sturridge believes Marc Guehi is "getting paid big" following the news of his move to Man City(Image: X/@SkySportsPL)

Daniel Sturridge believes Manchester City have laid down a marker to the rest of the Premier League with the incoming signing of former Liverpool transfer target Marc Guehi.

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Guehi, who Liverpool came close to landing last summer only for the deal to fall through at the last minute, would be joining Man City for a cut-price fee of £20 million ($27 million) from Crystal Palace. The 25-year-old was set to be a free agent at the end of the season, with Palace selling the England international so as to avoid losing him for nothing come the end of the 2025/26 season.

It was a signing Pep Guardiola's side needed to make, especially following their recent spate of injuries to defenders Ruben Dias, John Stones and Josko Gvardiol. The expectation following the closure of the summer transfer window was that Guehi would simply run down his contract, allowing him to have his pick of clubs when his deal with Palace was up.

With Guehi set to be a free agent, he stood to make millions from a signing-on fee, something which is now no longer the case after he agreed to join City.

Speaking on Sky Sports ahead of the Manchester derby between City and Manchester United on Saturday, former Liverpool striker Sturridge believes Guehi is being handsomely compensated, wage-wise, by the former due to forgoing the opportunity to become a free agent.

And he also believes that the addition of Guehi is a marker for City, who have also added Antoine Semenyo this month.

"You know they had to blow that bag to get him. They had to," said Sturridge speaking on Sky Sports alongside host Dave Jones, Roy Keane and Micah Richards.

Marc Guehi is set to join Manchester City(Image: Getty Images)

"In terms of the wages you're talking," replied host Jones.

"Of course, the wages have to be big," said Sturridge. "If I'm him, I'm comfortable at my club, of course I want to challenge for titles but I've got the World Cup coming, I'm playing every week.

"You're taking me out of an environment and I have an opportunity to get a windfall of cash at the end of the season."

Marc Guehi will not be signing for Liverpool from Crystal Palace - instead he is Manchester City bound (Image: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

"You made a point earlier about going and getting top managers, what have Man City done, put a marker down. You go and get the best. That's what they do," added Keane, to which Sturridge replied: "Put a marker down."

"You know he's getting paid big," added Sturridge.