Manchester City fans have been blessed to witness some of football’s best players at their club over the last 15 years.
The Premier League giants lost two of their legends this summer as Kyle Walker left for Burnley, while Kevin De Bruyne’s 10-year stay at the Etihad Stadium came to an end before the Belgian superstar decided to continue his story at Napoli.
Guardiola will need to make some tough decisions over the coming weeks as he looks to trim down his squad ahead of the new Premier League season getting underway next month, with the future of another Man City legend in doubt.
Frank Leboeuf thinks it is time for the player to leave the Etihad Stadium, but the pundit also believes that he has changed the way his position is played for everyone in football.
Ederson has changed the way goalkeepers play
The future of Ederson at Man City is in doubt with just weeks before the Manchester club’s Premier League campaign gets underway against Wolves on 16 August.
Galatasaray have agreed personal terms with Ederson ahead of a potential summer move, but the Turkish giants are yet to agree on a transfer fee with Man City.
With the 31-year-old’s time at the Etihad Stadium looking like it is coming to an end, former Chelsea star Frank Leboeuf has stated that he believes the Brazilian changed the game for modern goalkeepers.
“Well, that would be the end of an era because when Guardiola signed Ederson, he changed the game,” the pundit said on ESPN FC.
“Everybody wanted to press, and Manchester City found a goalkeeper capable of launching long-range passes, and that made a difference, and that guy changed the game and even changed football because of Guardiola. So if he goes, I will feel that it’s another era starting.
“Now, I’m kind of with Craig in a way that for the past year, year and a half, I don’t find the same Ederson that I used to see with the guy sharp, knowing exactly what he was doing, technically easy. It was more wandering at some point, creating doubts to his teammates.
“It’s not the reason why defensively Manchester City has been so weak, because in the middle of the park and the back four, they weren’t there. But he had a little bit of a part in the responsibility for last season’s bad results.”
James Trafford is expected to join Man City as Ederson’s replacement should the goalkeeper leave, with the Englishman having big shoes to fill.
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Ederson’s Man City career in numbers
Ederson is currently thinking about his Man City future, and if the Brazilian does decide to leave the Etihad Stadium after eight years, it will close the door on a legendary career in Manchester.
In addition to changing the game, the 31-year-old has made 372 appearances for City, keeping 168 clean sheets and conceding 311 goals. This helped the shot-stopper be included in the Premier League’s Team of the Season on two occasions, while winning the Golden Glove three times.
No goalkeeper in Premier League history has more assists than Ederson, with seven, which highlights more than anything just how good the Man City legend has been with his feet throughout his years in England.
In addition to these individual achievements, Ederson has been part of six Premier League-winning teams, while also picking up two FA Cup medals, four EFL Cup medals, and is a Champions League winner.
The Brazilian’s career is truly a legendary one, and it may be a long time before Man City fans see a goalkeeper like him again.
