While Manchester City won a historic fourth Premier League title in a row in 2023/24, a few key players have been linked with an Etihad Stadium exit. This is true for Ederson, the club's undisputed no.1 goalkeeper who could leave for Saudi Arabia this summer.
In fact, the six-time Premier League winner has reportedly already agreed to move to the Middle East, having given Al-Ittihad the green light. All that is left is for the Saudi Pro League outfit to reach a deal with the Cityzens, who are holding out for a £50M fee.
According to the Athletic, his team's crucial 2-0 win at Tottenham back in May, which all but secured them the title over rivals Arsenal, played a key part in his decision to leave.
It should be noted that it was not the result itself, but rather one of the game's most memorable moments: Stefan Ortega's late save against Son Heung-min.
Ederson had been subbed off earlier in this game after a nasty collision with Cristian Romero left him with an eye problem. Ortega was thus called into action and was tested late in the game, with Son going one-on-one with the keeper with only four minutes of normal time left.
The Spurs attacker could have equalized but Stefan pulled off a world-class save to deny the North London outfit a route back into the game.
This moment of magic drew universal praise from fans and pundits alike. Some even went as far as questioning whether Ederson would have saved the shot, all of which reportedly affected the Brazilian.
The former Benfica shot-stopper was left livid when he was subbed off. While Guardiola stressed that Ederson is their no.1 goalkeeper, this attempt appears to have been futile.
Following this report, the player's wife Lais Moraes took to Instagram to address the claim, slamming the publication for spreading "fake news". Nonetheless, Ederson's desire to leave Manchester City appears indisputable.
Ederson's wife on Instagram: "Get better information first, this is totally fake news. " [laaimoraes] https://t.co/j0z8vvxcJO
— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) July 25, 2024
The South American would prefer to remain in Europe. However, not many clubs in that continent can afford the Cityzens' asking price, thus leaving Saudi Arabia as the only option.
Ederson would not be the first Manchester City player to leave Guardiola's side for the Saudi Pro League, with Aymeric Laporte and Riyad Mahrez having done so already. Additionally, countrymen Fabinho and Roberto Firmino, two well-known names in the Premier League, are already playing football in the oil-rich nation.