Manchester City Could Have FOUR Senior Goalkeepers Next Season Under New Plans

When it comes to reserve goalkeepers, Manchester City have had plenty over the course of the past decade, with each enduring various amounts of success at the Etihad Stadium.

Many of the Manchester City faithful will recall the towering Romanian Costel Pantilimon, who provided back-up for fan favourite Joe Hart during the Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini eras.

No Sky Blues fan could also forget Argentine cult hero Willy Caballero, after his League Cup final heroics against Liverpool in 2016, helping Manchester City claim the trophy on penalties.

Then, with the case of Chilean international Claudio Bravo, many will have wanted to forget his initial nervy performances which led to an unsettling first season in English football for Pep Guardiola, leading to the Catalan coach signing Ederson from Benfica in the summer of 2017.

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While the Brazilian international has been Manchester City’s first choice stopper ever since, the club has employed both Claudio Bravo and USA international Zack Steffen as the back-up options, with the latter replacing the former in the summer of 2020.

Steffen has produced some good performances for Manchester City in his two seasons at the club, yielding three trophies including back-to-back Premier League titles.

Yet, the news coming from the Manchester City camp this week is that the North-West club are now looking to sign German goalkeeper Stefan Ortega from the recently-relegated Bundesliga club, Arminia Bielefeld.

The 29 year-old shot-stopper had a stellar season for the German side, despite their ultimate relegation, conceding 53 goals - which was just as many as title challengers, Borussia Dortmund.

Although it may have seemed at first that Manchester City were targeting Stefan Ortega as a replacement for Zack Steffen, this may not be the case, according to new information.

Stefan Ortega in action for Arminia Bielefeld.

“There is interest (in Stefan Ortega) and City see him as an addition to the squad, not necessarily to replace (Zack) Steffen,” BBC Sport journalist Mike Minay reported.

This news will perhaps surprise many, with the majority seeing Zack Steffen seeking a way through the exit door in favour of more regular game time ahead of the FIFA World Cup in December, with the player eager to nail down a starting spot in the USA Men's National team.

Stefan Ortega’s contract expires this summer, and Etihad officials seem keen to snap up the talented keeper to provide cover for both Ederson and Zack Steffen it seems - although the situation regarding the latter remains somewhat open to either eventuality.

Zack Steffen in Manchester City action.

The incoming Manchester City goalkeeper managed to keep a total of six clean sheets in his 33 appearances in the latest Bundesliga campaign.

Elsewhere in the way of arrivals at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City continue to seek reinforcements at left-back and central midfield.

The pending exit of Fernandinho upon the expiry of his City contract means the club will be without a back-up or competition for midfield mainstay Rodri, although they have their eyes set on a move for Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips.

As for left-back, Marc Cucurella of Brighton remains the priority, and while negotiations between the two clubs are ongoing, there is an understanding in some quarters that personal terms with the player have already been agreed.

There is still work to be done on both sides however, and official bids and significant development on either move could come in the next few days and weeks.