Manchester City are preparing a formal appeal to the English Football League in an attempt to secure special dispensation for defender Marc Guéhi to play in the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal.

Guéhi, a January signing from Crystal Palace, has already appeared in the Premier League for City but is barred from the Wembley showpiece because he was not registered in time for the first leg of the semifinal against Newcastle United. Under EFL regulations, players must be eligible from the start of the semifinal stage to feature in the final.

The rule left Guéhi unavailable for the second leg of the 5-1 aggregate victory over Newcastle, even though he had already debuted in the league. Manager Pep Guardiola described the situation as “difficult to understand” and has urged the club’s hierarchy to challenge the competition’s eligibility framework.

City will argue that the regulation is out of step with the modern transfer market and unfairly penalises clubs that strengthen mid-season. Guardiola highlighted the inconsistency by pointing to forward Antoine Semenyo, another January arrival, who is free to play at Wembley because his move from Bournemouth was completed before the first leg at St James’ Park.

“You buy a player for a lot of money and he is not able to play for a rule I don’t understand,” Guardiola said, insisting that City intend to write to the EFL to request an exemption. He framed the issue as one of sporting integrity, questioning why a fit, registered player on the club’s wage bill should be sidelined by what he views as an arbitrary cut-off point.

Privately, City officials accept that the chances of success are slim. The EFL has historically been reluctant to bend competition rules once a tournament is under way, wary of setting precedents that could be exploited in future seasons. Any relaxation for Guéhi would likely prompt similar demands from other clubs in comparable situations.

Even so, Guardiola has pressed the club to test the boundaries of the regulation, arguing that the final should showcase the best available players. Unless the EFL relents, Guéhi will watch from the stands as City face Arsenal in a match that could shape the narrative of their season.