City may have to address their goalkeeper situation this summer and one international star is on their radar
It is set to be a busy summer in the transfer market for Manchester City as Pep Guardiola sets about restoring his side as Premier League and Champions League challengers.
The first phase of their rebuild involved a busy January transfer window which saw the arrivals of Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis and the summer is expected to continue in a similar vein.
Hugo Viana will succeed Txiki Begiristain as the club’s new sporting director and one of his immediate transfer priorities will be the club’s goalkeeping situation.
Ederson has been the club’s number one goalkeeper for the past eight seasons and has transformed the way the position is played.
The Brazilian international has been crucial to City’s success in that time but mistakes have started to creep into his game this season and he was close to leaving City in the summer.
Interest from the Saudi Pro League has not cooled on the 31-year-old and he is out of contract next summer. So, too, is second choice goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.
Ortega has been included in some Germany squads this season and has proven his worth when stepping up in Ederson’s absence, none more so than his crucial save in City’s win over Tottenham in the penultimate game of last season’s Premier League title win.
A number of Bundesliga clubs are keen to make the 32-year-old their number one goalkeeper next term and that could leave City in an awkward spot.
It would be a wrench to let either goalkeeper leave, particularly, Ederson, but this summer may be the time to act while they can still command a fee for both of them.
As such, City are already running the rule over potential replacements and the Manchester Evening News revealed earlier in the week that Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa was on their radar.
Costa is Portugal’s number one goalkeeper and has impressed at both the 2022 World Cup and 2024 European Championships, winning 34 caps for his country.
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez is a huge fan of Costa’s ability, describing him as ‘the most hidden secret’ in European football after his performance in Portugal’s penalty shootout win over Slovenia last summer.
“I think Portugal’s secret is Diogo Costa,” Martinez said. “Diogo Costa is the most hidden secret in European football and today he showed up.”
At 25, Costa’s best years are still ahead of him despite already racking up considerable experience in the Champions and at international level.
Viana will be well aware of his abilities and Costa and Ederson both share Jorge Mendes as an agent. City already have strong Portuguese connections at the club and Costa has played behind Ruben Dias for his country where they already share a strong bond.
Adept with the ball at his feet, but strong at the fundamentals of goalkeeping too, Costa would be the perfect fit as Ederson’s successor.
Costa is said to have a release clause of £51million his current contract and while that may seem a bit steep for a goalkeeper, it could well be a price worth paying if it ends any awkward uncertainty surrounding the goalkeeper situation this summer.