Manchester City identify trio of Serie A goalkeepers as potential replacements for Ederson amid Saudi Arabia interest | OneFootball

The search for a long-term replacement for goalkeeper Ederson at Manchester City has now begun, with eyes set on the Italian game for a new signing between the sticks.

The future of the Brazil international was thrown into significant doubt during the last summer transfer window, after it had emerged that officials from Saudi Arabia had identified the 31-year-old as their next poster signing from Europe.

Manchester City ultimately stood firm on their valuation of the goalkeeper, despite making it clear that should a potential suitor come in and meet their asking price for the player, they would not stand in his way should he wish to depart.

The feeling at the time was that the Premier League champions were eyeing a fee in the region of £50 million for a player that has been instrumental to their success over the last eight seasons in particular, but Saudi clubs ultimately turned away from that price.

However, with a new summer on the horizon and many sources believing that 2025 will represent a year of a rebuild for Manchester City, Ederson could yet be replaced and return to the attentions of clubs in the Middle-East.

And according to the information of Foot Mercato, Manchester City have already started their search for a successor, identifying three names from the Italian game as possible candidates for the role: Zion Suzuki, Vanja Milinković-Savić and, ‘above all’, Michele Di Gregorio.

It is claimed that the latter has been the ‘priority for several months’, and ‘initial preliminary contacts’ took place at the end of December between officials of Manchester City and Juventus. However, the Turin club are reluctant to sell unless a good offer were to arrive.

As for Parma’s Suzuki and Torino’s Milinković-Savić, the report states that a ‘small delegation’ from the Premier League champions were in attendance at the recent match between the two clubs, monitoring both goalkeepers as well as midfield star, Samuele Ricci.

While Ederson has remained largely tight-lipped over his future since the conclusion of the last summer transfer window, his teammate between the posts in Stefan Ortega Moreno has been quizzed amid similar interest from clubs in Germany.

On how he sees his future unfolding, Ortega Moreno told reports in October, “Still in Manchester. I feel very comfortable. At the moment there’s little reason to leave.”

The 30-year-old, who has seen a significant up-turn in opportunities since his comments emerged, went on to state at the time, “I’ve now played 36 competitive games in two years – not a number for a typical number two. I get a lot of appreciation.”

There remains every chance that Manchester City could simply promote the former Arminia Bielefeld shot-stopper into the position of number one choice should Ederson leave the club, and instead eye a new back-up.