The 25-year-old England international has put pen to paper on a contract that will take him through to the summer of 2031.
He becomes the club’s second signing of the January transfer window following on from the capture of winger Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth earlier this month.
A hugely gifted defender, over the past few years Guéhi has established himself as one of the most talented and accomplished young centre-backs operating in the Premier League.
Guéhi arrives at the Etihad armed with extensive top-flight experience after spending the past four-and-a-half seasons at Selhurst Park.
All told, he has clocked up 188 appearances for Palace across all competitions, scoring 11goals as well as supplying eight assists during his time in south London.
He also won 26 international caps to date with England where he has become an integral part of the Three Lions’ squad.
“I am really happy and incredibly proud to be a Manchester City player.
“This move feels like the culmination of all the hard work I have put into my career. I am now at the best club in England and part of an unbelievable squad of players. It feels good to be able to say that.
“I want to grow as a player and a person, and I know at this club that’s going to happen.
“I love football – it has given me so much for so long – and to be able to continue my development at Manchester City is a really special moment for me and my family.
“I absolutely cannot wait to get started now. I want to meet my teammates, train hard, understand what the manager expects of me and then show the City fans what I can do.”
For his part, City Director of Football Hugo Viana said he was equally delighted to welcome Guehi to the Club.
“It is clear Marc has been one of the best defenders in English football for quite some time now, so we are absolutely delighted to bring him to Manchester City,” Viana said.
“I feel we have signed a huge talent who will help us improve. He is only 25, but he has shown already he is a leader, a brilliant professional and someone desperate to improve.
“He is strong, has exceptional defensive qualities, is an intelligent reader of the game, and brings passion and energy every time he steps onto the pitch.
“I am so pleased it was us he chose to join.
“Marc is entering the prime years of his career. I am sure every City fan is excited to see how good he can be in a sky blue shirt.”
Leader of the pack
Armed with a battle-hardened Premier League CV, a sumptuous blend of silk and steel and a resume that is stamped low maintenance, high performance – Marc Guéhi and Manchester City already look like the perfect partnership.
Also blessed with impressive leadership credentials, Guéhi’s career has gone from strength to strength over the past few years with the 25-year-old having cemented his status as one of the most admired central defenders operating in the topflight.
Guéhi also proved a pivotal presence as he skippered Crystal Palace to a first-ever piece of major silverware when the Eagles edged out City 1-0 last May to win the 2025 FA Cup final.
Marc’s impressive progress on the domestic stage has also been mirrored at international level where he has firmly established himself as an integral part of the England back line.
Guéhi’s impact was never better illustrated than at EURO 2024 where he started every game bar missing a quarter-final win over Switzerland through suspension as the Three Lions reached a second successive European Championship final.
But alongside that outstanding talent and technique, there’s also an inner steely core that has seen Guéhi smoothly navigate every challenge that has come his way.
Born in the Ivory Coast, Guéhi and his family moved to London when he was just one with his passion and aptitude for football quickly becoming apparent from a very young age.
Faith alongside football played an equally vital role in his formative years.
Marc’s father was a minister in a local church with Guéhi regularly to be found playing drums in church on Sunday mornings as a child with that commitment to his faith playing a huge part in his upbringing.
Education was also a key driver as Guéhi combined his passion for football as part of the Cray Wanderers youth set-up alongside ensuring his studies were also paramount
His natural talent, drive and desire soon brought Guéhi to the attention of Chelsea whom he joined as an eight-year-old schoolboy where he smoothly progressed through the London club’s youth ranks before signing a first professional contract in 2017.
That same year also saw Guéhi – alongside future City colleague Phil Foden – help England win the Under-17 World Cup in India, Marc scoring the fourth goal as the young Lions beat Spain 5-2 in the showpiece final.
Having helping Chelsea’s Under-18s secure a raft of silverware across 2016/17 and 2017/18 campaigns, including successive FA Youth Cup triumphs, the teenage Guehi then made his professional debut in 2019, featuring in a 2-1 League Cup defeat against Manchester United.
At the turn of 2020, Guéhi furthered his development by joining Championship side Swansea on loan where he linked up once again with manager Steve Cooper, the man who had overseen England’s 2017 Under-17 World Cup triumph.
After an initial period interrupted by the onset of the COVID19 pandemic, Guéhi helped the Welsh side reach the Championship play-off semi-finals in the summer of 2020 before his fledgling career truly blossomed across a stellar 2020/21 campaign.
Marc proved instrumental in helping pilot Swansea to the Championship play-off final at Wembley where the Welsh side were edged out 2-0 by Brentford.
By this stage his talent, performances and vast potential had alerted a number of prospective Premier League suitors and it was Crystal Palace who won the battle to secure his signature, the Eagles sealing an £18m move for the then 21-year-old in July 2021.
It’s fair to say that Guéhi has never looked back.
From the get-go at Selhurst Park, Guéhi shone bright with his talent, technique and application instantly endearing him to staff, teammates and supporters alike.
Humble, softly spoken and modest off the field, on it he blended superb reading of the game alongside pace, precision and power – all stellar attributes for an elite centre half.
Having helped Palace reach the FA Cup semi-final in his maiden season in south London, Guéhi then figured in all but one of Palace’s games across the 2022/23 campaign, making 40 appearances in total.
The 2023/24 campaign saw Guéhi’s progress briefly stalled by a frustrating knee injury that sidelined him for almost three months.
But restored to full fitness and armed with renewed vigour and confidence after being part of the England squad that reached a second successive European Championship final, Guéhi was named Palace club captain at the outset of the 2024/25 season.
He more than lived up to being afforded that honour, going on to lead Palace to the most successful season in their history.
It was a campaign culminated with the Eagles beating City 1-0 to win the 2025 FA Cup final, Guéhi lifting the famous trophy at Wembley alongside former skipper Joel Ward, in what marked the club’s first-ever piece of major silverware.
Having waited 120 years for a trophy, a second duly arrived just three months later when Guéhi helped lead the Eagles to the 2025 Community Shield thanks to a 3-2 win on penalties over Liverpool after a 2-2 draw over 90 minutes.
Now, after again impressing across the first half of this season with Palace, Marc is set to embark on an exciting new challenge here at the Etihad.
Whichever way you look at it, Guéhi represents the perfect addition to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
Welcome to Manchester City Marc!
Season by season stats
2019/20 – Chelsea and Swansea (loan)
Played: 16
Goals: 0
Assists: 0
2020/21 – Swansea (loan)
Played: 45
Goals: 0
Assists: 0
2021/22
Played: 42
Goals: 4
Assists: 1
2022/23
Played: 40
Goals: 1
Assists: 0
2023/24
Played: 29
Goals: 0
Assists: 1
2024/25
Played: 44
Goals: 3
Assists: 2
2025/26
Played: 33
Goals: 3
Assists: 4
