Ederson Exclusive: ‘Three clubs race to agree Man City keeper deal’
Saudi Pro League sides Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad have entered the race to sign Man City star Ederson at the end of the season.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, former England goalkeeper and Saudi Pro League expert Paul Robinson explained that all three clubs view the 31-year-old as an improvement on their current options.
His contract at the Etihad does not expire until 2026, and City could now look to cash in on the goalkeeper in a last-ditch attempt to raise funds from his sale.
The boss has often rotated his goalkeepers this season, with Stefan Ortega playing more of a prominent role while the Brazilian has turned in a number of inconsistent displays.
As a result, there is a growing feeling that his time at the Etihad could come to and end in the summer, with a big move to Saudi Arabia on the cards.
Saudi Pro League clubs prepare to make Ederson bids after Man City latest
Football Insider revealed in August that a “huge” offer was being lined up for Ederson, but ultimately no agreement was reached as he opted to stay at City.
Now, though, Robinson has insisted the interest from clubs in the Middle East has lingered and clubs are preparing to make moves in the summer amid ongoing speculation about his future.
“He’s been rotating him in and out of the side this season,” he told Football Insider.
“We’ve not seen Pep Guardiola do that before, he’s bringing Ortega in for Champions League games and cup games that he would class as lesser games.
“But actually because of Ederson’s indifferent form this year, Ortega has been picked on merit.
“He’s 31 now, his contract expires not at the end of this season but next season, so if they’re going to get a fee for him, it’s got to be this season.
“The opportunity for him to go to Saudi Arabia is always there.
“Al-Hilal, the team Neymar has just left and the one Mohamed Salah is heavily linked with, they’ve got Bono in goal who’s 33 years old, Ederson is better than him.
“Bento is in goal for Al-Nassr, he’s 25 years old, a young Brazilian who has two caps for Brazil.
“You go to Ittihad, Rajkovic is there, he’s 28, but Ederson is a better goalkeeper than him.
“There are only three real destinations for him: Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad. Outside of that, you can’t really see him going anywhere, but those three clubs would take him.”
Pep Guardiola to continue spending big in summer transfer twist
Ederson’s potential exit will likely mean Man City look to strengthen his position in the transfer market amid talk of a potential squad overhaul.
They spent around £180million on transfer fees in the most recent transfer window on first-team quartet Nico Gonzalez, Omar Marmoush, Victor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov.
However, their wide-scale additions are set to continue in the summer as Guardiola lines up potential improvements elsewhere in his squad.
Football Insider revealed on 6 February that despite their heavy January spending, City still have room to spend within the Premier League’s profit and sustainability restrictions.
For more Man City and exclusive news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.