Liverpool and Arsenal reached same Marc Guehi conclusion before Man City transfer

Marc Guehi officially joined Man City this week, with his transfer move to Liverpool breaking down at the very last moment on deadline day when Crystal Palace pulled the plug

Former Crystal Palace center-back Marc Guehi, who has joined Man City. (Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)

With its center-back options limited at the moment, Marc Guehi, in the eyes of many, was an obvious transfer target for Liverpool this January. After all, he came so close to making that exact move only a few months ago.

On September 1, it looked like Guehi would be signing for Liverpool for around $47 million (£35 million), with the Reds swooping to sign him with a season left on his Crystal Palace contract. When Oliver Glasner realized he wasn't able to sign a replacement, however, the Eagles put a stop to it.

Very late in the day, with the minutes ticking by to the deadline, the transfer was pulled. Guehi was to remain at Crystal Palace at least until the winter, but more likely the summer, when he would move on for free.

That isn't what ended up happening, of course. Guehi has instead signed for Manchester City — declaring, in doing so, that he had picked the best club in England — with a fee of around $25 million (£20 million) reported.

That isn't the full story, though. A bit like when Erling Haaland moved to the Etihad Stadium for the relatively small transfer fee of just $69 million (£51 million), there are a lot more elements to the deal.

Guehi's representatives have been paid handsomely and the 25-year-old England ace is set to earn a huge wage. According to The Athletic, it is around $400k (£300k) per week — up there with the best-paid stars at Anfield.

Marc Guehi has joined Manchester City just months after seeing a move to Liverpool collapse(Image: (Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images))

Liverpool had already agreed personal terms with Guehi in the summer but it would not have been anything like as lucrative as that. Matching Manchester City, even with its need for an extra defender this year, was never going to happen.

Arsenal and Bayern Munich, among others, were also keen on Guehi, but he chose Manchester City. Of course, there is a sporting argument for doing so as well, but the financials helped.

"[He’s a] top central defender, played for the national team, and I will say my personal thanks to the club," Pep Guardiola said of Guehi ahead of his team taking on Bodo-Glimt in the Champions League.

"He is the perfect age for many years, he can play right or left. And him especially because he wanted to choose us.

"The problems we have are at the back in the next few months, so it’s really important that he is here."

At some point in 2026, with Virgil van Dijk turning 35, Ibrahima Konate out of contract in the summer as things stand, and Joe Gomez injury-prone, Arne Slot needs fresh options in that position. Guehi, though, can be definitively ruled out.

Liverpool.com says: Guehi will do well at Manchester City, for sure, but there are other options out there for the Reds. The question is whether they can afford to wait until the summer to bring one in, or whether not doing so could prove costly.