Fabrizio Romano tips Man City to replace Ederson with shock keeper as undervalued star gets backing

Manchester City could soon have a new goalkeeper in between the sticks as Ederson is weighing up his future, and Fabrizio Romano has provided his verdict on who that replacement may be.

Ederson arrived in England in July 2017 when Man City paid Benfica £35million to sign him. Since then, the Brazilian has proven to be a crucial player for Pep Guardiola, having made 332 appearances and kept 155 clean sheets.

Ederson is a world-class keeper who is not only great at saving shots but is also brilliant at spraying passes and helping Man City begin attacks.

The 30-year-old has helped City win six Premier League titles, including four in a row since 2021, as well as one Champions League, two FA Cups and four League Cups, plus other silverware.

Ederson seems to have everything a player could ask for at City, as he features in almost every game, picks up a big wage and has the opportunity to compete for major trophies.

But City fans were left stunned on Tuesday as Romano revealed that there is the possibility Ederson will leave the Etihad this summer.

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If a ‘good proposal’ arrives, then the shot-stopper will give it firm consideration. And there is a concrete chance Saudi clubs will bid for him.

In his latest column for the Daily Briefing, Romano has added that City might promote Ederson’s backup Stefan Ortega to the No 1 spot in a surprise twist, rather than pursue the big-money signing of a new keeper.

Man City news: Fabrizio Romano makes transfer prediction

“Another story to watch with City could be the future of Ederson. There is, from what I’m hearing, a concrete chance for the Brazilian goalkeeper to leave City in the summer transfer window,” the journalist said.

“There is interest from Saudi and other clubs, so we could see some movement in the goalkeeper market this summer.

“We’ll have to see what happens with the likes of Jan Oblak, Aaron Ramsdale and Bento, and it looks like Ederson could also be part of this domino. Man City will leave it to the player, they are aware of Saudi interest and won’t stand in his way.

“Man City are considering moving for another goalkeeper in the summer, and also they have Stefan Ortega at the club and he’s been fantastic, always very special whenever he plays, like that save against Son Heung-min that made such a big difference in the title race.

“In terms of a replacement, I personally think the best fit for them could be Ortega, who is already at the club. He’s shown he’s a fantastic goalkeeper and in my opinion he’s ready to be their first choice.”

Ortega is undervalued at City, having come on for Ederson on several occasions this season and adapted to the game quickly before proving his worth.

During the recent 2-0 away victory over Tottenham Hotspur, Ortega gave City’s title push a massive helping hand by coming off the bench and keeping Son Heung-min out with a brilliant one-vs-one save.

Although, City still need to work hard if they are to continue relying on Ortega when Ederson departs. Guardiola has admitted that Ortega is weighing up leaving the club in order to move back to Germany and be closer to his family. The 31-year-old’s City contract runs until June 2025.

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