‘I don’t know’ - Pep Guardiola gives uncertain update on future of star Manchester City player
The Manchester City manager was speaking after the 4-3 pre-season loss to Celtic in North Carolina.
Pep Guardiola has admitted he is uncertain if Ederson will remain with Manchester City this summer amid interest from Saudi Arabia.
Speculation surrounding the goalkeeper’s future has dominated City’s transfer window, with reports last week claiming City rejected offers from both Al-Nassr and Al-Al-Ittihad. Ederson started on the bench in Wednesday’s pre-season friendly defeat to Celtic but replaced Stefan Ortega at half-time in North Carolina.
Speaking after the 4-3 loss, Guardiola whether he expects the Brazilian to still be a City player by the end of the summer. “I don’t know – he has to see maybe now other options,” he replied
“Of course I’d like him to stay. Depends now the clubs. I don’t know the situation. No contact in the last days. A question of training and being with us until the transfer window finishes and we see what happens.”
Ederson endured an underwhelming 2023/24 campaign and picked up four separate injuries in the second half of the season, including a fractured eye socket in the penultimate league game of the campaign. The 30-year-old posted a cryptic social media message after sustaining the facial injury, and wrote: “No one understands , but me. see you soon.”
Rumours about a possible switch to Saudi Arabia followed, with claims City are holding out for a fee of around £50m for the experienced stopper. Ederson joined City in 2017 and has won six Premier League titles in seven years.
Should he leave this summer, it will mark the first time Guardiola has changed his no.1 as a Premier League-winning manager.
Meanwhile, a youthful City side lost to Celtic in the early hours of Wednesday morning, with Oscar Bobb the standout performer for the Blues. He provided a goal and two assists against the Scottish champions, while Erling Haaland, Jack Grealish, Rico Lewis and Kalvin Phillips also played.