Manchester City impressed by four potential Ederson replacements with two other names candidates to succeed Stefan Ortega | OneFootball

A long list of names has now surfaced concerning Manchester City and their plans to refresh their goalkeeping ranks ahead of the summer transfer window.

It is all part of an anticipated overhaul of the Premier League champions’ first-team squad following a difficult campaign across competitions hampered by an ageing profile of players and injury frustrations throughout the team.

No position appears to be totally comfortable ahead of proposed changes from incoming sporting director Hugo Viana, perhaps other than Erling Haaland’s status as the club’s leading striker and Rodri’s place as the go-to defensive midfield option when fit.

Even players that have been absolutely integral to the success of the Pep Guardiola operation since his arrival, and particularly since the start of the 2022/23 campaign, including Ederson and Stefan Ortega Moreno are subject to analysis over their place in the side.

And that is what the latest information surrounding Manchester City’s transfer plans revolves around, particularly after interest from the Middle-East was responded to with fond eyes by Ederson during the last summer transfer window.

Now, according to the information of TBR Football’s Graeme Bailey, there is ‘major doubt’ over Ederson’s long-term future, and while a new deal has not been ruled out for the Brazil international and talks have taken place, interest from Saudi Arabia remains strong.

Amid uncertainty, it is revealed City have undertaken an ‘extensive goalkeeping assessment’ of potential candidates, and have been left ‘impressed’ by the likes of Espanyol’s Joan Garcia, Lille’s Lucas Chevalier, Benfica’s Anatoliy Trubin, and Parma’s Zion Suzuki.

There is also a simultaneous search for back-up goalkeepers too with the possibility of Stefan Ortega Moreno being promoted into the number one position a possibility, with City highlighting both Burnley’s James Trafford and Sunderland’s Anthony Patterson as candidates.

Largely due to a requirement for additional rest amid fitness and injury concerns at various points of the ongoing season, Pep Guardiola has been rotating the Brazilian and German shot-stoppers more often than usual this campaign.

When quizzed on his decision to switch between the pair, Guardiola said in December, “Eddy has saved a lot of goals for us, one-v-ones many, many times, but I decided to pick Stefan… Both are incredibly top goalkeepers, both incredible with their feet and one-v-ones.”

Should either goalkeeper leave the Etihad Stadium in the upcoming transfer window or changes be required, then their times at City would be viewed extremely highly, particularly given the low-level investment placed in both, with Ortega Moreno being a free transfer.