Man City could lose player crucial to Premier League title chances due to contract stalemate

Manchester City could lose a player set to play a key role in the Premier League title race due to a contract dispute.

This season's Premier League title race looks set to be one of the closest in years, with City, Liverpool and Arsenal all fighting to be crowned champions.

City are currently third in the table on 63 points, one behind Liverpool and Arsenal with the latter top of the pile on goal difference.

On Sunday Pep Guardiola's side emerged from a huge meeting with Liverpool with a point, and the defending champions have got a home clash with Arsenal coming up at the end of the month.

Unfortunately for City, goalkeeper Ederson is likely to miss at least the next four weeks with a leg injury sustained in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool.

The Brazilian came off second best from the foul he committed on Darwin Nunez that gifted Liverpool a penalty, and was substituted for Stefan Ortega.

Ederson's ability on the ball arguably makes him the most important signing of the Guardiola era at City, but Ortega is a more than capable replacement.

The German 'keeper is an excellent distributor of the ball, and is considered by some to be a marginally better shot-stopper than his teammate.

Ortega will start City's FA Cup quarter-final clash with Newcastle on Saturday, and is likely to play against Arsenal, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace after the international break.

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He might even be needed for the first leg of City's Champions League quarter-final tie.

Ortega's performances could go some way to determining the success of City's season, but they might lose him come the summer.

According to The Athletic, City offered their second choice goalkeeper a new contract at the end of 2023 but talks are at an impasse.

City's offer is reportedly within their rigid wage structure and in line with what they believe a back-up goalkeeper should earn.

Ortega's camp believe he has proven himself to be worth more, especially as performance related bonuses are difficult to earn without regular game time.

Ortega is believed to be very happy in Manchester, and Guardiola is keen to keep him at the club.

The City boss considered making the German his number one for the current season, before Ederson rediscovered his form this time last year.

Ortega and City rejected a January offer from Nottingham Forest, but several other Premier League and European clubs would happily make the 31-year-old their number one this summer.