Man City have chosen their Ederson replacement and Pep Guardiola will do anything to sign 'history-making' goalkeeper

Manchester City are set to ramp up their efforts to bring in a long-term replacement for goalkeeper Ederson and have identified their top target, according to reports.

FootballTransfers exclusively reports that City are looking to Portugal for their next stopper with six-time Premier League winner Ederson attracting significant interest and expecting big-money offers from several clubs in the Saudi Pro League.

Ederson has also won the Champions League with City but will turn 32 in the early part of next season and, with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2026, City have decided that now's the time to act.

According to FootballTransfers, City are eager and already in talks for 25-year-old Porto goalkeeper and captain Diogo Costa. Like Ederson, Costa is represented by Jorge Mendes and Gestifute.

Costa has twice won the Portuguese title with Porto and leads the league for clean sheets both this season and last. Only four goalkeepers in the Liga Portugal have a better save percentage in 2024-25. Costa's has improved this season, as has his performance above expected per shot on target against him. He is, in short, very effective and measurably among the best in Portugal. Costa has kept out 3.2 shots on target more than expected this season, two more than Ederson.

He's been on the books at Porto since 2011 and has now played 120 league fixtures for the first team after reaching half a century with Porto B and making his Liga Portugal bow in 2019.

Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson (Image: Getty)

The Portugal international made history at Euro 2024 by saving three penalties in a dominant shoot-out performance against Slovenia in the Round of 16. He would join a growing group of Portuguese players at the Etihad Stadium, where Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Matheus Nunes also ply their trade.

Pep Guardiola is planning for the next era after signing a new contract at Manchester City. (Image: Getty)

Ederson has faced competition for his place from Stefan Ortega, who joined City in 2022 and has started matches in the Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup this season only in part because of injury problems for the established first choice.

There is no indication that Ortega, almost a year older than the Brazilian, is considered a long-term option. All signs point to Costa being City's man.