Arsenal Eye Guehi as Long-Term Centre-Back Solution, But City and Liverpool Stand in Way

Arsenal are weighing up a bid for Marc Guehi as part of their defensive restructuring plans, ready to go head-to-head with Manchester City and Liverpool for the Crystal Palace centre-back's signature.

Despite boasting a crowded backline, the Gunners have identified Guehi as an opportunity too tempting to pass up. The 24-year-old's contract expires this summer, meaning Arsenal can either negotiate a cut-price fee this month or pursue him on a free transfer. For an elite club, a defender of his calibre—one of Europe's finest centre-backs over recent seasons—normally commands fees in excess of £60m, making his situation a genuine bargain.

Arsenal hold several advantages in pursuit of their target. They sit atop the European standings and can offer Guehi the chance to remain in London, where he is already established. Yet hurdles loom large. The Palace man came close to joining Liverpool last summer, and City are now making a concerted push this window to land him.

Behind the scenes, Mikel Arteta has crafted a blueprint for his defence that hinges on Guehi's arrival. The plan involves repositioning Myles Lewis-Skelly back into midfield, with Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie competing for the left-back slot. Guehi would then challenge Gabriel Magalhaes for the left centre-back role, while William Saliba and Cristhian Mosquera would battle for the other central berth.

Yet two significant concerns could derail Arsenal's ambitions. First, it remains unclear whether Guehi would accept a move to a club where he must compete with the established pairing of Gabriel and Saliba. Second, Arsenal's primary focus is the summer window, creating space for City or another suitor to swoop for him this month and force the issue.