Marc Guehi has admitted that his head has been 'spinning' since the day he joined Manchester City, as he opened up on the transformative influence of Pep Guardiola. The defender, who made a £30million move to the Etihad in January, has been a revelation under the legendary manager, learning something new every day during their brief time together.
Guardiola's Impact
Guardiola bid farewell at the end of the season after a decade of dominance, securing 20 trophies including a domestic cup double this term with the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. Guehi offered a fascinating glimpse into working with one of football's greatest minds, revealing how his game has evolved even in such a short period.
"It wasn't just the first week - my head's still spinning! Honestly, I could go into a lot of detail, but you only realise when you look back on games how well thought out and how well planned the process towards those games," Guehi said.
"Even then you are learning but I've been thrown into the deep end and I've had to adapt on how to do things and it has been a big change. My game has changed, I don't know if it's obvious to everyone watching, but it's obvious to me how much my game has completely changed."
A New Way of Playing
The England international elaborated on the specific adjustments Guardiola demanded. "Things I used to do I've stopped doing because of the way that he wants us to play but also how effective that is. I think I've improved. I hope so!"
"I'll only find out the longer I go in my career and I'll only find out if I've truly improved when I look back because it's such a short space of time to know if I've improved," he added.
Guehi's Journey
A Chelsea academy graduate, Guehi took the long road to success. After a loan spell at Swansea, he moved to Crystal Palace where he became a club legend, leading them to FA Cup glory. A deadline-day move to Liverpool fell through last summer, but Guehi maintained his professionalism, always giving his best for Palace before eventually joining City.
He recently returned to Selhurst Park to visit former teammates, staff, and hierarchy, demonstrating the respect he holds for the club. "I have a lot of respect for the football club to take a chance on me as a 20 or 21-year-old from Chelsea but from the Championship," he said.
Regarding his FA Cup win with Palace, Guehi noted: "It's really nice to have won the FA Cup but it was more for the fans. I will probably look back on my career when it's all said and done and think more about it. But that was more for the fans because for a club like Crystal Palace to have waited for so long for a trophy... it was one for the fans."
Faith and Perspective
Guehi credits his faith for his grounded approach. "Take pride? I don't know if I take pride. I give credit to my faith. My faith is a big part of how I try to conduct myself, how I try to approach that each and every day. My faith in Jesus Christ," he explained.
"Whether I take pride but he, Jesus Christ, helps me a lot to walk a certain way. It's not easy but it definitely keeps me in good stead."
Looking ahead to 2026, with City chasing more silverware and England preparing for the World Cup, Guehi remains philosophical. "Ideal end would be whatever God wants it to be. He knows what's best. I've got my wants and thoughts on how it could go but whatever he feels is best is the way it should go."
"For me, it's the essence of life. It really is. Honestly, it helps me on my good days and my days but it's like a compass because it points you in the right direction. However you are feeling, whatever circumstances come around in life but there's one constant - and it's him."
