Man City set to miss out on Ederson successor as Guardiola eyes rebuild

Suraj Radia

• 20 Feb 2025 15:30 CST
• 3 min read

Manchester City look set to miss out on a potential long-term successor to Ederson after reports that one of their targets is likely to join a Premier League rival this summer.

City are expected to make wholesale changes to their squad in the summer following a disastrous season that has seen Pep Guardiola’s side collapse to fifth place in the Premier League and crashing out of the Champions League already.

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Their ageing core of veterans such as John Stones, Kevin de Bruyne, Mateo Kovacic, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan will be allowed to leave along with record signing Jack Grealish.

Ederson, too, will be allowed to depart after a disappointing campaign filled with mistakes and injuries, with teams from the Saudi Pro League likely to reignite their interest from last summer.

Having spent more than €200 million on players in January, City are set to completely restructure their squad in a summer spending spree in order to replace the players they let go.

A new first choice keeper is among the priorities for Guardiola but one of the targets on City’s radar is set to become unavailable with reports that a move elsewhere is ‘expected to be completed’.

Newcastle beat City to Trafford return

According to the Daily Mail, Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford will join Newcastle ‘without any hitches’ in the summer, having seen a transfer to St James’ Park collapse last year.

There is believed to be ‘extreme confidence’ that the transfer will happen as Trafford is still ‘set’ on a move to the Magpies regardless if Burnley get promoted or not this season.

Newcastle had been concerned that City would activate their buy-back clause on Trafford, worth more than €40m, having sold the 22-year-old to Burnley in 2023 for €20m.

Current ETV

James Trafford

GK

Burnley

James Trafford

GK

Burnley

€21.9M

ETV Range

€19.7M - €24.1M

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However, that prospect has been ‘played down’ with City likely to consider other options despite Trafford currently being on a staggering run of 11 games without conceding a goal and Newcastle seeing his ball-playing attributes as ‘key’ to the team’s evolution.

Newcastle had discussed a deal worth more than €18m for Trafford last summer but the fee is set to be higher this summer despite the England international only having two years remaining on his contract.