Ederson issues statement on Instagram in response to media reports on Manchester City situation | OneFootball

Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson has issued a statement on Instagram on Friday in direct response to claims made in The Athletic on Thursday.

The Brazil international has been at the centre of intense transfer speculation throughout the ongoing summer transfer window, with a number of Saudi Pro League clubs linked with keen interested in signing the goalkeeper from Manchester City.

Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad have been the two clubs mentioned in holding an interest in the player, while the Premier League champions have been intent on holding out for a transfer fee at their valuation, understood to be worth around £50 million.

But first reports of an openness to leaving the club first emerged at the end of the 2023/24 season, and in light of a final change of goalkeeper with Stefan Ortega taking Ederson’s place after an injury sustained against Tottenham in the penultimate game of the top-flight season.

A report in The Athletic earlier this week went as far as to claim that Ederson was ‘affected’ by the praise Ortega received for his one-on-one save against Spurs’ Son Heung-min, including a suggestion largely from City fans that Ederson himself would not have saved it.

Now, in a statement released on his personal Instagram page on Friday evening, Ederson has been keen to shut down claims made in a report from The Athletic on Thursday concerning ‘alleged dissatisfaction’ with Manchester City teammate Stefan Ortega Moreno last season.

“Clarifying that the note published by The Athletic yesterday refers to whether my alleged dissatisfaction with a colleague. It is completely false,” Ederson confirmed.

“The supposed reported day was without a doubt, one of the hardest days of my career, when I suffered a fracture that prevented me from playing in the final stretch of the season and consequently representing my country in Copa America.”

The statement from the 30-year-old continued, “At the time of the injury, my thought was only to continue in the match, defending City in the contest for the conquered title, but the emotion of the match would be greater than reality and fatally.

“I would have no way to continue as I would like because of the damage it caused, completely hindering my field of vision. I stay focused on the preparation of the season. EM31.”

Manchester City’s number one goalkeeper is currently away in the United States with the rest of the first-team squad that have already reported back to training for pre-season, with the club’s tour of the east coast of the country featuring four matches.

City have already succumbed to defeat in their opening contest, with Celtic emerging 3-4 victors in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in a contest that also marked Ederson’s return to match action despite ongoing conversation over his future this summer.

The Premier League champions are now based in New York City ahead of their second pre-season friendly of the summer, with a meeting against AC Milan scheduled for Saturday night at the city’s iconic Yankee Stadium.