Manchester City are reportedly making every effort to agree a new contract with goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.
When the 31-year-old arrived on a free transfer in 2022, it was perceived to be a relatively low-key addition to Pep Guardiola's squad.
That was partly down to Ederson being the undisputed number one at the Etihad Stadium, while Ortega had played most of his career at Arminia Bielefeld.
However, there is an argument that Ortega has proven to be one of the best value-for-money signings of the Guardiola era, with the quality between the sticks generally not being lowered in Ederson's absence.
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A total of 22 starts and two substitute outings have been made in all competitions, while Ortega has contributed to seven points being collected from Premier League fixtures against Brighton & Hove Albion, Newcastle United and Liverpool this campaign.
Ortega's most recent outing came on Sunday when Ederson sustained an injury during the second half at Anfield, where the German was required to play the remaining 34 minutes plus stoppage time to help City earn a 1-1 draw.
With the Brazil international now sidelined for the remainder of the month, Ortega is expected to don the gloves for an FA Cup quarter-final tie with Newcastle and Premier League showdown with Arsenal after the March international break.
Away from the pitch, though, Sky Deutschland reporter Florian Plettenberg has claimed on X that talks are underway regarding a new contract.
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Plettenberg suggests that City are yet to make a breakthrough in negotiations with the goalkeeper's team at this stage.
Ortega already has a contract until the end of 2024-25 campaign, yet City are seemingly wary of interest coming from clubs willing to offer the stopper regular first-team football.
In other competitions, Ortega has featured on seven occasions this season, including three starts in the FA Cup and two in the Champions League.
After the Liverpool match, Ortega commented about always "needing to be ready" to represent City, admitting that it had been a "special moment" to make an impact versus Liverpool.
Darren Plant
