Marc Guehi transfer favourite emerges as Arsenal and Liverpool make January calls

View 3 Images

Manchester City will likely be unopposed in their attempts to sign Marc Guehi this month with both Arsenal and Liverpool planning to wait until the summer before making their move for the England defender on a free transfer.

Guehi, 25, has emerged as a serious target for some of the Premier League's top clubs after starring for Crystal Palace in recent years. And the former Chelsea man, who came close to joining Liverpool back in the summer transfer window, now has less than six months to run on his contract at Selhurst Park and will not be signing an extension.

It was widely expected that Guehi would leave the Eagles on a free transfer at the end of the season, particularly with Liverpool always likely to rekindle their interest in him.

However, Manchester City are willing to do a deal for Guehi this month - and their ability to facilitate a significant deal in the January transfer window rather than the summer could give them the edge in the race for his signature.

According to The Athletic , Liverpool have deemed a January swoop for Guehi as 'unrealistic' due to the finances which would be required to do such a deal, particularly as the player would be able to demand a significant signing-on fee due to the lucrative options he would have available to him as a free agent. Instead they will focus on central defensive options in the summer transfer window, where they could also lose the services of Ibrahima Konate .

View 3 Images

Furthermore, long-term interest in the defender from Arsenal is unlikely to be explored this month, with the Gunners also minded to explore a potential deal in the summer once Guehi is no longer on the books at Crystal Palace, rather than a mid-season one.

The issue for both clubs is that their stance looks likely to leave City with a free run at convincing Guehi to depart south London early, with the former Premier League champions now prioritising the signing of a central defender after finalising a £62.5million deal for Antoine Semenyo.

View 3 Images

Crystal Palace agreed a deal worth around £35million to sell Guehi to Liverpool in the summer before a dramatic change of heart at the 11th hour and the January window represents their final chance to cash in on their captain.

It's been claimed elsewhere that City are 'intent' on doing a deal for Guehi this month and would be prepared to match any other offers.

In the meantime, City have recalled Max Alleyne from a loan spell in the Championship with Watford and the 20-year-old has impressed after starting back-to-back games, including the 10-1 demolition of Exeter City in the FA Cup , in which the young centre-half scored.