Man City secret weapon to solve goalkeeping situation in transfer market

Manchester City have to be on alert to sign a goalkeeper this summer.

Stefan Ortega has signed a new deal to stay at the Etihad until 2026 but Ederson's future is not as secure. The Brazilian suffered a disappointing end to his season with injury ruling him out of the final few matches as Ortega starred in the Premier League, and the No.1 is set to receive a lucrative offer from the Saudi Pro League to move in this window.

Were Ederson to leave, Ortega could step in as No.1, but the signing of the Arminia Bielefeld stopper has shown that Pep Guardiola needs a No.2 that is almost if not as good in order to bring the best out of his goalkeepers. As the club waits on Ederson, they need to be prepared for an exit.

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Thankfully, they have an expert to turn to. Txiki Begiristain leads the recruitment team but is happy to defer to the opinions of goalkeeping coach Xabi Mancisidor, who has been at the club since Manuel Pellegrini's arrival in 2013 and continues to set the standard for City goalkeepers.

It was Mancisidor who played a critical role in the club signing Ortega, working both ends of the deal to convince the player to come as well as letting the club know that he was the right option. When Pep Guardiola came to discuss the best options, he was taken down the right direction.

“We sat down and he introduced two or three 'keepers and he [Mancisidor] said: ‘I think this is the man,’ so I said: ‘Let’s go.’ I am not an expert in goalkeepers, that’s why we have a trainer for that and, as always, Xabi had a good eye and he’s done really well," the manager said.

Mancisidor's day job remains the training regime for the goalkeepers that keeps them at their levels, but it is helpful for Guardiola and City to be able to call upon the coach when they think they might need to find a new player for the position. Ortega was identified on a free transfer from a relegated Bundesliga side, so it is not like it is simply the most well-known 'keepers who are being targeted.

That suggests a new signing this summer could be a less familiar name, although as long as it has Mancisidor's stamp of approval that shouldn't matter to the Blues.