Stefan Ortega facing 2026 FIFA World Cup doubts amid Manchester City uncertainty | OneFootball

Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega Moreno is awaiting a late resolution on his club future ahead of Monday’s 7PM (UK) transfer deadline, as per a new report.

The 32-year-old is surplus to requirements at the Etihad Stadium and is understood to have been informed by Manchester City officials that he was free to leave the club upon the arrival of James Trafford from Burnley for £27 million.

Ortega Moreno joined Manchester City on a free transfer from German outfit Arminia Bielefeld in the summer of 2022, with the Germany international proving as a capable back-up to first-choice goalkeeper Ederson, who is set to join Fenerbahce on deadline day.

After a miserable 2024-25 season that saw Pep Guardiola’s side record their lowest points tally (71) in the Premier League under the Spaniard en route to a disappointing third-place finish, newly-appointed sporting director Hugo Viana has orchestrated a major revamp of the first-team squad this summer.

With the exception of Norwegian midfielder Sverre Nypan, who has joined Middlesbrough on a season-long loan upon his arrival from Rosenborg, Viana has recruited five new first-team players for Guardiola this summer, with City making a slow start to the 2025-26 Premier League campaign after two defeats in their opening three league games.

Marcus Bettinelli was brought in from Chelsea to replace the departed Scott Carson as third-choice goalkeeper, with Manchester City also identifying and agreeing personal terms with Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in August amid uncertainties over the future of Ederson.

As Ederson looks set to complete a €14 million move to Fenerbahce on deadline day, Manchester City have spun the wheels in motion and are conducting a medical for Donnarumma in Italy before a transfer for the 26-year-old Italy international is made official before the 7PM (UK) deadline on Monday.

With Ortega Moreno still surplus to requirements, the German needs to leave Manchester City on Monday to stake a strong claim to be Germany’s starting goalkeeper at the 2026 FIFA World Cup – a similar reason to why Grealish has joined Everton for the 2025-26 season.

As reported by Shamoon Hafez writing for BBC Sport, Ortega Moreno’s representatives have indicated that Ortega Moreno has hit sights set on a departure from the Etihad Stadium on the final day of the transfer window.

It has been revealed recently that earlier in the window, Ortega Moreno rejected the opportunity to join Fenerbahce – who have since moved their interest to Ederson and secured a deal for the 31-year-old Brazilian.

Ortega Moreno is into the final year of his current deal and Manchester City would prefer a permanent sale before the transfer deadline on Monday – so as to trim their bloated first-team squad and avoid the risk of losing the German for nothing next summer.

Newly-promoted Premier League duo Burnley and Sunderland are also believed to have expressed an interest in Ortega Moreno, who is understood to be awaiting the chance to join a club competing in the UEFA Champions League if he is to leave Manchester City by the end of Monday.