Pep Guardiola ready to make major change in one Manchester City position for the first time in eight years | OneFootball

For the first time since 2017, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is ready to make a change to his goalkeeping department by welcoming in a new first-choice name.

Ederson has been a mainstay under Guardiola since joining the club from Benfica in a £35 million deal, arguably redefining what it means to be a modern goalkeeper not just at the Etihad Stadium, but in English football as a whole.

The Brazil international has lifted 13 trophies at Manchester City in that period and was integral to the club’s domestic and continental dominance, including the historic treble-winning campaign in 2022/23.

However, after eight seasons, a potential changing of the guard appears to be on the cards with Ederson’s position under fresh scrutiny this summer, with increasing speculation linking him to Galatasaray.

This marks a significant shift in stance from Pep Guardiola and the club, who have previously stood firmly by Ederson despite dips in form or the occasional injury setback. While there has been no official movement yet, the suggestion that Guardiola is open to a change reflects how City’s summer rebuild could stretch far deeper than just midfield or attack.

According to the information of journalist Duncan Castles, speaking on the latest episode of The Transfers Podcast, Pep Guardiola is now ready to make a change to his first-choice goalkeeper this summer having stood with Ederson since the summer of 2017.

Castles explained, “The guidance I have is that Pep Guardiola would be happy to change first-choice goalkeepers this summer and will not stand in the way of a transfer [for Ederson] if an appropriate fee can be achieved.”

Should Ederson depart, Stefan Ortega Moreno could yet put up a challenge to become the club’s new number one having impressed since his arrival in 2023, although City hold an interest in Burnley’s James Trafford and are working on a deal for the 22-year-old.

Manchester City had been linked with a move for FC Porto’s Diogo Costa earlier in the summer, but those suggestions were later dismissed by local media, who reported the club had no interest in such a deal.

As things stand, a defining moment in Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City reign may be on the horizon. A change in goal would signal not just the end of an era, but the start of a new cycle, and one that will demand fresh leadership from the very back of the pitch.