Manchester City are set to be active in the summer transfer window as they endeavour to retain the Premier League title and compete for silverware in other domestic and continental competitions in 2024-25.
Pep Guardiola, who may be preparing for his final season in charge of the Citizens, will want to strengthen his squad with a few key signings, but he may also allow some first-team stars to seek pastures new.
Recent reports have suggested that first-choice goalkeeper Ederson will consider ending his seven-year association with Man City if a 'good proposal' is offered to him this summer.
The 30-year-old has been Guardiola's undisputed number one shot-stopper even since he moved to the Etihad Stadium in 2017, and the six-time Premier League winner is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in world football.
However, Ederson has been linked with a transfer to the Saudi Pro League, with Al-Nassr allegedly willing to pay around £25m in an attempt to lure the Brazilian to the Middle East, although City are thought to value him at closer to £40m.
Here, Sports Mole takes a look at five goalkeepers who Man City could look to sign as either a direct replacement for Ederson, or to provide competition for Stefan Ortega if he is made the club's new number one.
Mike Maignan (AC Milan)
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Should Ederson leave Man City, Guardiola would look to sign a goalkeeper capable with the ball at his feet, and AC Milan's Mike Maignan certainly fits the bill having already shown the ability of a modern world-class shot-stopper during his three-year stay at San Siro.
According to multiple reports, including one from The Sun, Man City will react to the potential departure of Ederson by stepping up their interest in Maignan, a primary target who stands at 6ft 3in and is set to be France's No.1 goalkeeper at Euro 2024 this summer.
Following a six-year spell with Lille, Maignan joined Milan in 2021 and has since been a mainstay between the sticks, keeping 44 clean sheets in 110 appearances across all competitions, including 15 shutouts in 42 outings in 2023-24.
The 28-year-old, who is valued at £30m and has two years remaining on his contract at San Siro, was named Serie A Best Goalkeeper and was selected in the Serie A Team of the Year after helping Milan win the 2021-22 title.
The Sun reports that Milan could move for Everton's Jordan Pickford or Arsenal's Aaron Ramsdale should Maignan leave the Italian giants this summer.
Diogo Costa (Porto)
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Another high-profile goalkeeper that has been linked with a potential summer switch to Man City is Porto star Diogo Costa.
Journalist Rudy Galetti claims that the Citizens have shown an interest in the 24-year-old, but they could face competition from fellow Premier League club Chelsea, who are said to have approached the player.
It is understood that Porto are open to selling the 20-cap Portugal international, who has kept a total of 64 clean sheets in 154 appearances, if they receive a 'satisfactory' offer this summer.
Having won eight trophies, including two Primeira Liga titles and four Portuguese cups, during his five-year spell in the Porto first team, two-time Goalkeeper of the Year Costa may feel that now is the right time to take the next step in his career.
Should Costa decide to leave this summer, Galetti claims that Porto will consider a move for Real Betis goalkeeper Rui Silva, who is said to be keen to return to his native Portugal.
James Trafford (Burnley)
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Man City could turn to a familiar face in the form of James Trafford, who was sold to Burnley last summer for £19m and made 28 starts in the 2023-24 Premier League season.
Although Trafford lost his regular starting spot towards the end of the campaign, with the Clarets eventually suffering relegation from the top flight, the 21-year-old has caught the eye of a number of top European clubs including Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Bayern Munich, the latter are now managed by former Burnley boss Vincent Kompany.
Trafford is yet to earn his first senior cap for England, but he was part of Gareth Southgate's preliminary squad for Euro 2024 and is rated highly by the Three Lions boss.
With Trafford's stock continuing to grow, Man City may consider joining the race for his signature this summer, and it is understood that the Citizens have a buy-back clause for the highly-rated youngster worth around £42m.
It remains to be seen whether City would be prepared to fork out such a fee for Trafford, though, while it is also unclear whether the Citizens academy graduate will show preference to regular first-team football in the Championship with Burnley, or joining a high-profile club where he may not be a nailed-on starter.
Michael Zetterer (Werder Bremen)
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After two years playing second fiddle to Ederson, Ortega could be promoted as City's new number one next season if the Brazilian leaves this summer. The 31-year-old was linked with a summer exit last month but has since penned a new two-year contract.
Should Ortega take the number one jersey, this would lead to the Citizens delving into the transfer market for a new number two, and German news outlet Bild claims that Guardiola's side hold an interest in Werder Bremen goalkeeper Michael Zetterer.
The 28-year-old would represent a cheaper alternative to other possible Man City targets such as Maignan, Costa and Trafford, as his Bremen contract allegedly possesses a £5m release clause that is valid until the middle of this month.
Zetterer has spent almost a decade with Bremen, but he has only made 41 first-team appearances in all competitions, keeping 10 clean sheets, and has acted as an understudy to fellow long-serving shot-stopper Jiri Pavlenka.
However, Zetterer eventually established himself as Bremen's new number one from October last year until the end of the 2023-24 season and started 27 Bundesliga matches, keeping six clean sheets and starring in a memorable performance in a 1-0 win at Bayern Munich.
Christos Mandas (Lazio)
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Another option for Man City is to recruit a youngster up-and-coming goalkeeper who could potentially begin as a second-choice at the club before establishing himself as a number one in the future.
A recent report claims that Lazio's 22-year-old goalkeeper Christos Mandas is attracting interest from the Citizens, who have already made contact over a potential summer move.
Rivals Manchester United and Leicester City have also been linked with Mandas, who Lazio are said to be keen to keep hold of and intend to offer him a new-and-improved contract to tie him down until June 2029.
Mandas, who joined Lazio in September last year, began the 2023-24 season as a number two, but he enjoyed a run of games in the latter stages of the campaign in the absence of first-choice goalkeeper Ivan Provedel.
The Greek Under-21 international kept six clean sheets in 12 first-team appearances for Lazio, including four shutouts in nine Serie A outings to help the Italian outfit secure a top-seven finish.
