If Ederson leaves Manchester City this summer, it will be intriguing to discover which goalkeeper the club have identified to replace him in the long-term.
On Wednesday, it was reported that the Brazilian international would be interested in leaving the club to sign for Al-Nassr.
It was also claimed on the same day that Al-Nassr had offered Ederson a deal worth £50 million if he signed a two-year contract.
The links regarding Manchester City’s number 31’s potential exit are growing day-by-day.
Chances of Stefan Ortega replacing Ederson if he leaves Man City revealed
However, Stefan Ortega also signed a one-year contract extension with City until 2026 in June this year — meaning that his chances should not be ruled out.
The German is one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League and since making his move to the Etihad Stadium, the 31-year-old’s signing has proven to be an astute piece of business.
As revealed by Fabrizio Romano on X, if Ederson leaves Manchester City in the summer, considering he has been in talks with Saudi Pro League clubs since May, Ortega will become the club’s brand-new number one.
The Sky Blues are still waiting for the interested Saudi Arabian clubs in question, including Al-Nassr to make an opening bid to fully express their interest.
Romano has claimed that City have maintained their stance; if Ederson wishes to leave the club, he would be free to do so.
Why replacing Ederson with Stefan Ortega would be very risky
While Ortega is a world-class goalkeeper, there would be viable question marks over his ability to replace Ederson if he heads for the Saudi Pro League — considering he is one of, if not the best goalkeeper in history with the ball at his feet.
The former Benfica number one is one-of-a-kind but even so, the ex-Arminia Bielefeld goalkeeper has several flaws in possession; namely, a limited passing range, the tendency to be rushed into taking decisions in possession against a high-press and a habit of going long more often than required.
As a result, Ortega has plenty of room for improvement to be regarded as elite in possession — a factor that could add to City’s constant theme of undergoing early-season struggles during Pep Guardiola’s reign.
At 31, how much the Sky Blues’ number two can improve in this regard is also questionable.
