Manchester City could look to bring in a young keeper to replace Ederson | OneFootball

As revealed exclusively by Esteemed Kompany sources it does appear that Ederson is likely to leave Manchester City in the summer. If that proves to be the case, then the world champions will need to sign another goalkeeper to replace the club stalwart. Stefan Ortega is currently Manchester City’s number-two keeper behind Ederson. Perhaps Stefan Ortega could step up and become Manchester City’s number-one keeper. But it may also be time for Manchester City to sign a young keeper to be given the opportunity to fill Ederson’s shoes.

On that front, City has now been linked with a potential move for Lille’s impressive young goalkeeper, Lucas Chevalier. Spanish publication Fichajes reports that City could be set to battle Barcelona for his signature. The Fichajes report adds that Barcelona have been tracking Chevalier for some time. But due to their financial situation, they may be unable to pursue a move for Lille’s number-one keeper. This may set the scene for Manchester City to pounce in the summer.

Lucas Chevalier is an impressive young keeper but he may not be Manchester City’s only option this summer.

There is little doubt that Lucas Chevalier is an impressive young goalkeeper. Since bursting onto the scene with Lille he has firmly established himself as their number-one keeper. In statistics sourced from footystats.org Chevalier has kept 10 clean sheets in 37 appearances in all competitions this season. He also completes 27.10 passes per game for Lille. As per footystats.org, he has saved 61 of the 84 shots he has faced this season. They aren’t elite numbers, but he is a capable shot-stopper.

But what stands out in Chevalier’s game is his distribution. He is capable of playing short to his centre-backs and full-backs. That is a necessary skill for a potential Manchester City goalkeeper. He can also drop in as a centre-back and help Lille’s build-up play. That is a skill that would suit Pep Guardiola’s side. Chevalier is also adept at playing a long ball which would be a handy attribute for any Ederson replacement. He isn’t on Ederson’s level in that regard, but Chevalier looks to be a quality keeper in regard to his shot-stopping and his distribution. It’s easy to see why Manchester City and Barcelona would be interested in signing him in the future.

Lucas Chevalier may not be the only keeper on Manchester City’s shortlist.

On face value, a Manchester City move for Lucas Chevalier does make sense. But he may not be Manchester City’s primary target if they do target a young goalkeeper to replace Ederson. Lucas Arnald has relayed a report from Graeme Bailey for TBR Football that City have been impressed by Espanyol’s Joan Garcia, Benfica’s Anatoliy Trubin and Parma’s Zion Suzuki. So it appears that City may be in the market for a young keeper to take over from Ederson if he does depart next summer.

Lucas Chevalier looks to be a tantalising keeping prospect. But the TBR Football report suggests that City are casting their net far and wide to find a suitable Ederson replacement. That is a wise move. If Manchester City sign the right young keeper to replace a club legend it may set them up for years to come in goal.