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Further Details Of Bundesliga Goalkeeper's Imminent Move To Manchester City Revealed
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It was earlier reported that Manchester City were on the cusp of signing Arminia Bielefeld goalkeeper Stefan Ortega as the understudy to Ederson next season.
The German’s arrival could spell the end of Zack Steffen, who has largely been a reliable number two since signing for Pep Guardiola’s side in 2019.
While there have been next to no reports regarding clubs in the race to sign the US international, it is unlikely that he will stay put at Manchester City after being potentially relegated to third-choice in the pecking order.
On the Ortega front, it has also been revealed that the Premier League champions could be set to sign the 29-year-old on a free transfer, as his contract runs out in the summer.
The highly-rated shot stopper has certainly cemented his reputation as one of the standout players in his position in German football.
Sitting only behind Borussia Monchengladbach number one Yan Sommer for total shots saved in the Bundesliga (128), Ortega has stepped up to the plate when called upon in impressive fashion.
Stefan Ortega is set to join #ManCity on a free transfer and become number two choice goalkeeper behind Ederson, according to reports in Germany.
— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) June 23, 2022
So much so that his save percentage is a staggering 73.3%, which is superior to Ederson's 69.6%, despite facing a lot more action at Arminia Bielefeld, who went on to face the drop at the end of last term.
With so many reasons to be excited about the player’s arrival, new details have emerged about his possible transfer to the Etihad Stadium that are bound to put a collective smile on the Manchester City fanbase’s faces.
As per the latest information provided by Dirk. G. Schlarmann of Sky Deutschland, it is understood that Stefan Ortega has ‘rejected’ offers from various sides in Spain and Germany, as he prefers a switch to Manchester City.
Additionally, it has been mentioned that the move could be finalised as soon as the end of the week.
Ultimately, this potential transfer adds to the Sky Blues’ squad depth, as they aim to challenge across all four fronts in the 2022/23 season.
As witnessed during Zack Steffen’s nightmarish outing against Liverpool that played a major role in Manchester City’s semi-final exit in the FA Cup, a backup that serves comfortably in between the sticks in Ederson’s absence remains a priority position for the club.
Considering Ortega ranks in the top one percent of goalkeepers for the most touches per game across the top five European leagues, it’s clear to see that he has no qualms about having the ball at his feet.
The German fits the bill of the ideal of a Pep Guardiola goalkeeper, which could mean that the Catalan could rely on him without breaking sweat next term — which makes for an extremely astute signing.
Elsewhere, Manchester City look set to still be chasing the signatures of Brighton’s Marc Cucurella and Leeds’ Kalvin Phillips, as the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling and Oleksandr Zinchenko have all been linked with exits this summer.
Featured Image Credit: dpa picture alliance / Alamy
Topics: Manchester City, Bundesliga, Premier League, Manchester City Transfer News & Rumours
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