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Manchester City’s early Summer expenditure is set to continue with the confirmation from Benfica that they are set to sell their Goalkeeper Ederson Moraes for a fee believed to be in the region of £35m (40m euros). A fee which would mean that the Brazilian becomes the most expensive ‘keeper of all time.
Gianluigi Buffon’s move from Parma to Juventus back in 2001 was the long standing record fee for a goalkeeper after the Italian giants paid £33m to acquire his services. But after 16 long years there is finally a new man who will be bestowed with that accolade.
Ederson has been identified by Pep Guardiola as the man to finally solve his goalkeeping woes as both Claudio Bravo who came from Barcelona last Summer and Willy Caballero both failed to impress in their role as Manchester City’s number one this season.
Caballero was shown the Etihad exit door as his contract was not renewed and it does make you wonder about the status of the Chile international Bravo. He had to make do with stints on the substitute bench towards the end of this campaign but will he want to fulfill the role of backup over the course of the season.
Whether Bravo fancies staying on Manchester remains to be seen but with the signing of Ederson Moraes for what is a world record fee it would clearly intimate that the recent Portuguese League winner will be the undisputed number one for next season and beyond.
With 50% of this fee going to what Benfica “describe” as third parties it does mean that the move has not been ratified just yet due to the Premier League needing to make sure that all this external in the Brazilian under-23 international is above board.
That is expected though to be a mere formality and a move should finally manifest in the next few days. With City getting their transfer business done relatively early it not only makes them the early favourites but also adds extra to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City reign – something that you can read more about here.
