Manchester City are confident they have outmanoeuvred arch-rivals Liverpool in the race to sign England sensation Marc Guehi. Both clubs have been locked in negotiations with the Crystal Palace defender, with Liverpool nearly securing his signature last summer.

However, a deal fell through, providing an opportunity for City manager Pep Guardiola to swoop in for the 25 year old. The Sky Blues are optimistic about finalising a £30m deal in the coming days.

Guardiola is eager to bolster his defence following injuries to Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias. The Spanish manager's pressing need for reinforcements led him to urge Etihad chiefs to agree on a fee with their counterparts at Palace.

Guehi's contract expires in June, and several of Europe's top clubs have been eyeing a free transfer in the summer. These include Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan, with Guehi eligible to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club this month.

However, City seem to have outpaced all competitors...