Ederson price tag named as Manchester City brace for bids from Saudi Arabia clubs | OneFootball

Manchester City are bracing themselves for bids from Saudi Arabian clubs this summer, as mainstay first-choice goalkeeper Ederson considers his options.

The 30-year-old has been widely understood to be considering his options since the closing stages of the last campaign, after a season that saw him win his sixth Premier League title but struggle with a number of freak accidental in-game injuries.

As such, Stefan Ortega Moreno has been granted increased opportunities to impress, culminating in a sensational close to the season that saw the German deny Tottenham an equaliser and hand Manchester City the chance to win the league on the final day.

That outing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the penultimate gameweek of the last Premier League season was one of a number of impressive performances from Ortega, who starred away to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League and at Liverpool.

But the increasing pressure on Manchester City’s number one since the summer of 2017 may have finally forced him to seek fresh opportunities following a transformational time working under Pep Guardiola.

According to the information of talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Manchester City are now ‘braced’ for a bid from Saudi Arabia for first-choice goalkeeper Ederson, with Al-Nassr among the clubs interested in the Brazilian international.

From the side of the player, the report highlights the belief that Ederson himself is open to a move to the Middle-East, with current number two choice at the Etihad Stefan Ortega Moreno lined up to replace him as the club’s number one.

But how much could Manchester City ask for the player this summer, given the fact that the 30-year-old has two years remaining on his existing Etihad Stadium contract, and remains an integral part of Pep Guardiola’s tactical system.

Alex Crook reports that while the Premier League champions are ‘in no rush to part ways’ with the goalkeeper, they are likely to ask for in excess of £30 million from any serious suitor from the Middle-East.

Manchester City are widely expected to recruit in the transfer market for a new goalkeeper, but amid concerns over a lack of clear candidates to replace Ederson’s skillset, a new back-up choice could be the best route forward for recruitment bosses.

For the leading role, the Premier League champions have been tenuously linked with moves for AC Milan and France international Mike Maignan, as well as FC Porto and Portugal’s European Championships hero Diogo Costa.

But given the rising price tags of both players amid performances at the ongoing international tournament in Germany, City may instead seek a lower-cost but capable option whilst promoting Ortega – who knows the club and system well – into the leading role.

Elsewhere, Manchester City are expected to finalise their first senior first-team signing of the summer in the coming days and weeks, with Savio joining from fellow City Football Group side ESTAC Troyes and penning a five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium.