Manchester City to open talks over Ederson contract as Saudi Arabia continue transfer pursuit

Premier League champions Manchester City are set to open conversations about an improved pay package for goalkeeper Ederson, amid Saudi Arabian advances.

The 30-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to the Middle-East having lost his place in the Manchester City starting line-up towards the end of last season, albeit through an accidental injury sustained in the penultimate Premier League game of the campaign.

Ederson’s injury opened up three more huge opportunities for back-up Stefan Ortega to stake a serious claim for the number one spot, making decisive saves against Tottenham to win the Premier League, and being largely faultless in the remaining two contests.

But despite remaining open to the idea of Saudi Arabian interest, very little has developed in the opening month of the summer transfer window, with Manchester City most recently turning down an offer from Al-Nassr understood to be in the region of £25 million.

The feeling in various quarters is that the Premier League giants would be eyeing a sum closer to the £50 million mark, and should that not emerge from the Middle-Eastern side, then Manchester City will look to negotiate fresh terms, as detailed in the latest report.

According to the information of Manchester City insider ‘Tolmie’s Hairdoo’ on X, talks with Ederson about a new pay deal to stay at Manchester City will commence, amid Saudi Arabian approaches in the last few days.

It is stated that while Etihad Stadium officials will not stand in his way, the money presented to the club by Saudi Arabia ‘needs to represent his value’ to Manchester City and the years left on his current agreement, which runs until 2026.

Should that not be the case, then Manchester City and Ederson’s agent Jorge Mendes – who is expected at the Etihad Campus this week for various conversations with the club – will try to broker fresh terms.

Mendes is the lead agent for a number of Manchester City players, and conversations this week could yet centre around the futures of other stars, namely Bernardo Silva and Matheus Nunes – both of whom have been linked with moves away.

The latter is only heading into his second season at the Etihad Stadium following a £53 million move from Wolverhampton Wanderers at the end of last summer, but there is a feeling that a move away could be accepted should City receive their money back from a potential suitor.

Bernardo Silva remains open to the idea of an exit too, in what is now the fourth successive summer market that such a stance has been taken. However, there is yet to be any concrete interest in the player, despite his attractive £50 million release clause.