Manchester City face battle for Ederson amid Saudi bid – source

Manchester City face a battle to retain Ederson, with Al Nassr prepared to offer a contract worth almost three times what he earns at City, a source has told ESPN.

Ederson is on a list of potential targets for the Saudi Pro League side, which also includes Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson and Wojciech Szczesny, who is set to leave Juventus.

City are keen to keep the Brazil international but a source has told ESPN they would consider him leaving if he asked to leave and their valuation was met by another club.

The 30-year-old is Pep Guardiola’s number one goalkeeper and is contracted until 2026, meaning City would demand a big fee.

He cost £35 million ($44.8 million) when he arrived from Benfica in 2017 and has won six Premier League titles and the Champions League.

A source has told ESPN that Ederson could earn more than £600,000-a-week at Al Nassr, a figure City would not come close to matching even if they decide to negotiate a new contract.

A source has told ESPN that despite the interest in their first-choice goalkeeper, City remain calm about the situation after signing Stefan Ortega to a contract extension in June. Ortega will remain at the Etihad until 2026.

According to a source, Guardiola would have no problem starting the season with Ortega as his first-choice goalkeeper if Ederson leaves.

The German, who has been Ederson’s understudy since 2022, made 20 appearances in all competitions last season, making a crucial save to deny Son Heung-Min in their penultimate league game at Tottenham to help City secure a record fourth successive title.

Sources have told ESPN that despite interest in signing a goalkeeper, Al Nassr’s priority in the summer window is to sign a central midfielder, with Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes one of the names in the frame.