Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega has been surprisingly vague about his future with the fallen Premier League champions, pointedly noting that “anything is possible”.
Ortega was signed as Ederson’s backup in the summer of 2022 but has earned an increasing number of opportunities each season. Previously restricted to cup competitions or the absence of his Brazilian teammate, Pep Guardiola surprisingly bench Ederson for Ortega when City travelled to Liverpool’s Anfield in December.
That proved to be the first of eight starts in the space of nine games for the Germany international, before Ederson was restored back to City’s lineup.
“I think I’ve played a remarkable number of games since I’ve been there,” Ortega told Kicker this week. The 32-year-old stressed that he and his family feel “extremely comfortable” in Manchester, but he refused to rule out a move away from City as he approaches the final year of his contract.
“I can’t yet say what will happen in the summer,” Ortega noted. “Anything is possible. We know the world of football; things sometimes move quickly,”
Guardiola’s faith in Ederson has clearly wavered this season, yet Ortega evidently doesn’t have his manager’s undiluted trust either. City have been tentatively linked with new recruits to patrol the posts.
Footmercato recently claimed that three Serie A goalkeepers – Parma’s Zion Suzuki, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic of Torino and Juventus number one Michele Di Gregorio – are on City’s shortlist this summer.
Suzuki is particularly sought-after. The 22-year-old may have conceded more often than all but two goalkeepers in Serie A this season, but has still managed to impress in a freshly promoted Parma team currently outside the relegation zone. Various reports have also linked Manchester United with Suzuki.
