Benfica superstar Ederson, who has been interesting Manchester United and Manchester City, has reportedly been made available for €30 million
Portuguese publication Record are claiming that SL Benfica are ready to part with their prized possession – goalkeeper Ederson Moraes – and have slapped a €30 million price tag on the player, who is being tailed by the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Barcelona and even Real Madrid.
Ederson has really come to the fore as one of the most enticing goalkeepers in Europe after a solid season guarding SL Benfica’s goal in all competitions. A total of 24 shutouts in just 39 appearances, conceding 26 goals in the process – Ederson has been one of the safest pair of hands in the top European leagues this season.
The player earned the interest of Barcelona and Real Madrid, but the rumours linking the duo to the Brazilian has since died down. However, Manchester United and Manchester City have emerged as two of the frontrunners in the pursuit of the 23-year-old.
Ederson is managed by Jorge Mendes – the same agent as Jose Mourinho, who is looking for a potential replacement for David De Gea, in case the player does end up moving to Real Madrid in the summer – a rumour that has gained pace in the recent days.
Jose Mourinho is prepared to sell David De Gea to Real Madrid for €85m and replaced him with Benfica’s Ederson Moraes. [Correio da Manha]
— City Chief ️ (@City_Chief) May 20, 2017
Man United sorting out final details before announcing Lindelof. ?
Ederson could be part of a €90m+ deal. #MUFC https://t.co/cHFQaZmCcS pic.twitter.com/DhJdZdrRPf
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) May 24, 2017
Mourinho does have other targets in mind – the main one being AC Milan prodigy Gianluigi Donnarumma. However, Ederson’s displays have seen him enter the Portuguese’s mind who is looking towards the 23-year-old as a more realistic target to the Italian international.
Manchester City, on the other hand, are desperate for a new goalkeeper, regardless of any outgoings in the said position in the summer. Claudio Bravo’s arrival was expected to be the remedy for Pep Guardiola. But, the Chilean has failed to live up to the task and has been largely underwhelming.
And, Guardiola will not be happy with his club’s inability to challenge for the title this season. The manager is now ready to move for a goalkeeper – one he can mould into the kind of goalkeeper he desires at Etihad. And while City are also looking at Donnarumma, they have been linked with Ederson for longer than any other top side.
While the player was reportedly valued around €60 million – his release clause as per earlier reports, the latest update has claimed that Benfica are willing to negotiate a deal around the €30 million mark – an amount that would likely pique the interest of the Manchester duo.
Whether a deal can or will happen in the summer still remains to be seen. But, the reduction in the asking price of the player and Benfica’s willingness to do a deal will be great news, not just for the two Manchester clubs but for other top clubs in search of a goalkeeper in the summer.
