Manchester City will be without winter signing Marc Guehi for their crucial EFL Cup semi-final encounter against Newcastle United after competition regulations rendered the defender ineligible, dealing Pep Guardiola an untimely defensive setback.
City secured Guehi’s services in a £20 million deal during the January transfer window, beating strong competition from Liverpool, who had previously pursued the centre-back during the summer market.
The former Crystal Palace captain arrived at the Etihad with high expectations and quickly integrated into Guardiola’s squad, featuring twice in the Premier League.
His early impact included a composed performance and a clean sheet against Wolverhampton Wanderers, reinforcing City’s decision to bolster their defensive ranks mid-season.
Despite his promising start, Guehi will play no part in the upcoming cup showdown due to a technical regulation in the EFL Cup rules. The defender completed his move to Manchester City after the first leg of the semi-final tie between City and Newcastle had already been played.
Under the tournament’s player eligibility guidelines, any footballer who joins a new club after the first leg of a semi-final becomes ineligible to represent that club in the remainder of the competition.
The rule permits a player to feature for a maximum of two clubs in the same EFL Cup campaign, provided the transfer is finalised before either the closure of the winter transfer window or the first leg of the semi-final stage, whichever occurs earlier.
Since Guehi’s transfer was completed after the first leg had taken place, City are unable to register him for the competition this season.
Guehi’s absence presents Guardiola with a defensive selection dilemma at a critical stage of the tournament. The Spanish manager must now reshuffle his backline as City aim to overturn Newcastle and progress to the final.
Nathan Ake remains a reliable option with his experience and positional awareness, while young defender Max Alleyne could also be considered for a starting role.
Either choice would likely see them partner Abdukodir Khusanov in central defence, a pairing that may lack the cohesion Guardiola would have hoped to establish with Guehi’s arrival.
