Manchester City Close in on Marc Guehi Signing
Manchester City has reached a preliminary agreement to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace for £20 million. The England center-back is set to become the 25th defender to join the club since Pep Guardiola took charge in July 2016.
As reported by Transfermarkt, this transfer will elevate City's total expenditure on defenders to £1.379 billion since Guardiola's appointment.
During this period, City has signed more defenders than any of the traditional 'top six' clubs, with Liverpool acquiring 10 defenders, Arsenal 19, Chelsea 20, Manchester United 15, and Spurs 17.
This strategy has proven successful for Guardiola, leading to six Premier League titles, a Champions League trophy, two FA Cups, four EFL Cups, and a Club World Cup in his nine-and-a-half years at the helm.
Although six defensive transfers did not see any playing time, players like Yan Couto, Pedro Porro, and former Arsenal center-back Pablo Mari were sold for profit.
City's interest in Guehi, 25, intensified due to injuries affecting key players Ruben Dias, John Stones, and Josko Gvardiol, the latter of whom underwent surgery after fracturing his shinbone.
The injuries left Guardiola with only Abdulkodir Khusanov, Nathan Ake, and Max Alleyne as central defensive options amid a demanding schedule of Premier League, Champions League, and domestic cup matches.
Here are some notable defenders Guardiola has brought to the Etihad:
Josko Gvardiol
Transfer fee: £77m Premier League games: 81 Premier League goals: 11 Clean sheets: 25 Trophies: 4
The Croatian defender is Guardiola's second-most expensive signing, joining the club after City won an historic treble. Gvardiol has become a crucial member of the team, only missing one Premier League match last season. Despite his impressive performance, he will be sidelined for an extended period due to a shinbone fracture.
Ruben Dias
Transfer fee: £65m Premier League games: 164 Premier League goals: 5 Clean sheets: 63 Trophies: 10
The Portuguese international, signed from Benfica in the summer of 2020, significantly strengthened a defense that struggled after the departure of club captain Vincent Kompany. Dias was named Premier League Player of the Year in his debut season and played a vital role in securing the Champions League title in 2023.
John Stones
Transfer fee: £47.5m Premier League games: 178 Premier League goals: 10 Clean sheets: 54 Trophies: 15
Stones has been a key figure in Manchester City's defense since his record-breaking transfer from Everton in 2016. Despite recent injury challenges, he played a significant role in City's Champions League success and is the club's longest-serving player.
Kyle Walker
Transfer fee: £45m Premier League games: 212 Premier League goals: 3 Clean sheets: 72 Trophies: 17
Walker joined from Tottenham in Guardiola's second season and quickly established himself as an essential player, earning two selections to the Premier League Team of the Year. He transferred to Burnley last summer after a loan spell at AC Milan.
Nathan Ake
Transfer fee: £40m Premier League games: 100 Premier League goals: 6 Clean sheets: 21 Trophies: 10
Ake joined City from Bournemouth in the same summer as Dias and has played both center-back and left-back. Although his time at the club has been marred by injuries, he showcased his talent during the Champions League-winning campaign.
Aymeric Laporte
Transfer fee: £57m Premier League games: 121 Premier League goals: 8 Clean sheets: 50 Trophies: 13
Laporte was brought to the club in January 2018 and formed a strong partnership with both Kompany and Dias. He enjoyed considerable success at City before transferring to Al-Nassr at the start of the 2023-24 season.
Joao Cancelo
Transfer fee: £60m Premier League games: 98 Premier League goals: 5 Clean sheets: 41 Trophies: 5
Cancelo was acquired in a deal that saw Danilo move in the opposite direction. After a slow start, he became a standout player, contributing significantly to the team's performance before a loan move to Bayern Munich and later Barcelona.
Other Defensive Signings by Guardiola
Right-backs: Matheus Nunes (£53m), Danilo (£26.5m, sold for £34.1m), Pedro Porro (£11m, sold for £17m), Yan Couto (£4m, sold for £25.3m), Issa Kabore (£3.9m)
Centre-backs: Manuel Akanji (£15m), Victor Reis (£29.6m), Abdukodir Khusanov (£33.6m), Philippe Sandler (£2.6m, sold for £0), Juma Bah (£5.1m), Ko Itakura (£1m, sold for £4.3m), Pablo Mari (£200,000, sold for £1.5m)
Left-backs: Benjamin Mendy (£52m, sold for £0), Rayan Ait-Nouri (£36.3m), Sergio Gomez (£11m, sold for £8.4m), Angelino (£5.3m, sold for £15.8m), Oleksandr Zinchenko (£1.7m, sold for £30m)
This article is part of BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything series.