‘Ederson will leave Man City for free’ after Saudi Pro League news
Manchester City will release Ederson at the end of his contract rather than sell him to Galatasaray or a Saudi Pro League club this summer.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson stated that he expects Ederson to follow a similar path to Kevin De Bruyne for next season.
Ederson’s future at the Etihad has been subject to speculation after Stefan Ortega started ahead of him in over a third of Man City’s games last season, and as the Brazilian enters the last year of his contract.
Galatasaray have identified Ederson as an option as they look to strengthen between the sticks, but Robinson told Football Insider that he sees Ederson making a move to the Saudi Pro League instead.
Saudi Pro League clubs could be willing to throw big money behind an immediate move for Ederson this summer, but Robinson said he expects the 31-year-old to see out his contract at Man City next season.
Man City to let Ederson leave on his own terms
Man City’s former financial advisor Stefan Borson told Football Insider that Ederson wants to stay put at the Etihad in this summer’s transfer window, and Robinson argued that Man City will reciprocate this.
Speaking on the latest Inside Track, he said that after De Bruyne announced his departure towards the end of last season and quickly sealed a free transfer to Napoli, Ederson could do similar next summer.
“[Goalkeeper] is a position that Galatasaray are going to strengthen in this window, I just don’t know if it’s going to be Ederson”, Robinson told Football Insider.
“You look at him with a year left on his contract, he’s in a really, really strong position – does he just go on a free in the end?
“He’s getting linked heavily to Saudi Arabia, and because of the length of his contract, I see him going on a free at the end of next year.
“I see it being a Kevin De Bruyne type of situation – and it gives Manchester City time to find that replacement.”
Ederson exit inevitable as Man City replacements lined up
Ederson’s social media activity towards the back end of last season left some Man City fans certain that he would be set for pastures new this summer, but he’s since featured regularly in the Club World Cup.
Robinson previously told Football Insider that Man City do have plans to sign a “top-class replacement” for Ederson if a bid from the Saudi Pro League does arrive, but no formal offers have been made for him.
Ederson may no longer be on the level of Alisson, Manuel Neuer, Thibaut Courtois or Jan Oblak, but his form has still been good enough to warrant another season at Man City and a proper farewell to boot.