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Manchester City is set to go head-to-head with Liverpool and Europe's top clubs for the signature of Marc Guehi in the January transfer window, according to reports.
City's keen interest in the Crystal Palace and England center-back was first reported by Daily Star Sunday two weeks ago. However, the Etihad outfit indicated they would only make their move in the previous transfer window if central defenders Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake exited the club.
In the end, only Akanji made his exit - joining Inter Milan on loan, with the Italian side having an option to seal the deal permanently for $17.6 million.
Sources within City also suggest there was a conviction that Guehi, 25, wouldn't depart Selhurst Park before the window shut, a belief that was confirmed when Palace chairman Steve Parish halted a $47 million move to Liverpool.
Premier League champion Liverpool still fancies its chances of securing Guehi and, like City, hopes Palace will agree to a reduced fee in January, given the sought-after defender becomes a free agent in the summer, reports the Daily Star.
However, the race for Guehi is heating up for Liverpool - and it's not just from Pep Guardiola's City.
European powerhouses Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are also reportedly interested in Guehi - hardly surprising considering his contract situation.
The Eagles' skipper continued to turn out for Palace right up until the summer transfer window deadline on Monday. He netted a spectacular goal as Palace triumphed over Aston Villa 3-0 last Sunday.
Before England's 2-0 triumph over Andorra, in which Guehi featured for 76 minutes before being substituted by Villa's Ezri Konsa, England boss Thomas Tuchel praised the FA Cup winner for his exceptional response to the failed transfer to Liverpool, noting his "brilliant attitude".
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The England manager commented: "Of course we had a chat with him. He looks absolutely fine and impressive on the field. He has had a good couple of weeks behind him on the performance side.
"He has continued like that in camp and he handles it [his transfer situation] with respect and with a brilliant attitude."
Tuchel further remarked: "He is the main driver of Crystal Palace's success - the captain and the leader - and he played very impressively at the end of last season."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Daily Star by clicking here.
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