Ederson admits Manchester City departure was inevitable – Truth about failed Saudi transfer revealed | OneFootball

Fenerbahce and Brazil goalkeeper Ederson has broken his silence on his departure from Manchester City on deadline day in the summer transfer window.

The 32-year-old joined Manchester City from Benfica for £35 million on 1 July 2017 as what would eventually be one of Pep Guardiola’s most significant signings at the helm in Manchester.

Ederson may be a goalkeeper on paper but the Brazilian had the mind of a midfielder and under the tutelage of the Catalan mastermind, the Fenerbahce man changed the way the position was viewed forever.

The former City shotstopper featured an impressive 372 times for Manchester City throughout his tenure between July 2017 and September 2025, keeping 160 clean sheets and winning a staggering 18 trophies during that period.

Ederson redesigned the traditional definition of goalkeeping with his absurd passing range, evidenced by his astonishing eight assists in his City career, combined with composure and confidence in between the sticks hitherto never witnessed.

Never will there be a goalkeeper so comfortable that he can perform a Cruyff turn on his own goal line and treat it like business as usual. As the Brazilian aged, though, it became evident that this pioneer in modern goalkeeping would not remain at the Etihad Stadium forever.

In the backdrop of a very challenging 2024-25 campaign – wherein Ederson struggled for fitness – his departure seemed inevitable and as has now been revealed, an exit from the Etihad Stadium was long coming for the former Benfica man.

“In the season before, I had already tried to leave (Manchester City) and that affected my performances,” said Ederson, in conversation with ESPN Brasil this week, as translated and relayed by City Xtra PT.

“It’s no use being at a huge, successful club if I’m not happy,” he added, having completed a deadline day switch to Turkey on the final day of the recent transfer window.

This short quote perhaps explains a lot in regard to Ederson’s drop-off in performances as he reached the twilight of his career in Manchester, with transfer speculation alongside a lot of unjustified social media backlash marring the end of an incredible spell in England.

Those in association with Manchester City can only be thankful to the Brazilian. After eight incredible seasons of service steeped in glory, and for changing the beautiful game as we know it, his time in blue came to a close, turning the page to a new chapter at Fenerbahce.

Manchester City allowed their long-serving shotstopper to travel to Turkey on the final day of the summer transfer window as they set the wheels in motion to put the final touches to Gianluigi Donnarumma’s sensational eleventh-hour transfer to the Etihad Stadium from Paris Saint-Germain.