Manchester City is coming off another successful campaign, lifting their fourth straight Premier League title, making the finals of the FA Cup for the second year in a row, although this time, falling short to Manchester United and advancing to the quarterfinals of the Champions League before being eliminated by eventual winners Real Madrid via penalty kicks.
However, despite another successful campaign, the blue and white are set to lose a couple of club legends, including goalkeeper Ederson, who is expected to play in the Saudi league.
Ederson could be on his way out of Manchester City
The 30-year-old has been Manchester City’s starting keeper since coming over from Benfica in 2017. Ederson has been a massive reason for their success, appearing in 330 matches across all competitions while having a 0.79 goals-against average, a .718 save percentage, and keeping 146 clean sheets.
In addition, Ederson’s style of playing the ball from the defense to build attacks has changed how soccer has been played in England. With the Brazilian international on his way out, Manchester City has begun to look for replacements and has identified a target.
Manchester City is targeting Mike Maignan from AC Milan
According to Football Insider, Manchester City is targeting AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan as a potential replacement for Ederson. Maignan, who is set to start for France at the European Championships this summer, is coming off a stellar year with AC Milan, appearing in 42 matches across all competitions, making 120 saves and keeping 15 clean sheets while conceding 52 goals.
Why would signing Maignan make sense
With Ederson leaving, signing Maignan would again give Manchester City a top-tier goalkeeper as the squad continues to try and make more history. It would also alleviate the pressure of agreeing to a new deal with backup Stefan Ortega, who could be on his way out in search of more consistent starting opportunities.
Time will tell if Maignan makes his way to England’s top flight, but the fit is there and could yield more trophies for soccer’s latest dynasty.