{"id":644107,"date":"2024-08-03T08:54:41","date_gmt":"2024-08-03T12:54:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/?p=644107"},"modified":"2024-08-03T08:57:03","modified_gmt":"2024-08-03T12:57:03","slug":"ederson-saudi-move-collapse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2024\/08\/03\/ederson-saudi-move-collapse\/","title":{"rendered":"Sale of Manchester City’s ‘Crucial’ Star Falls Through"},"content":{"rendered":"

The anticipated deal of Manchester City\u2019s goalkeeper Ederson Moraes to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad has fallen through according to Fabrizio Romano<\/a>. Despite initial negotiations, the transfer could not advance as expected. However, Al-Ittihad swiftly moved to secure a new goalkeeper, signing Predrag Rajkovic from Mallorca for a transfer fee of \u00a39.3 million.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ederson Saudi Move Falls Through<\/h2>\n

Initial Negotiations and Expectations<\/h3>\n

In May, Romano reported<\/a> on the possibility of Ederson leaving Manchester City during the summer transfer window if they were to receive a tempting offer. The journalist mentioned that several clubs in the Saudi Pro League had shown interest in the Brazilian goalkeeper, with Ederson considering the possible deals at the end of the season. Al-Nassr made an initial bid<\/a> of \u00a325 million, but the deal was ultimately rejected by City, as there was a huge gap in valuation with the club demanding more than \u00a342 million to let the 30-year-old leave.<\/p>\n

Read More:<\/strong> Maresca’s Manchester Reunion: Chelsea Predicted Lineup Vs. Manchester City<\/a><\/p>\n

Even though Ederson had initially agreed to join Al-Nassr, the two clubs couldn’t agree on a transfer fee. This led to Al-Ittihad, the Saudi Pro League champions, initiating negotiations with Manchester City. However, City made it clear that they wouldn’t accept any offers for his move below their valuation of Ederson, which caused discussions with the Saudi side to break down, and the deal fell through.<\/p>\n

Al-Ittihad’s Swift Move for Predrag Rajkovic<\/b><\/h3>\n

The Saudi Pro League side have been busy in the summer transfer window as they have recently secured the services of Frenchman Moussa Diaby<\/a> from Aston Villa for a package worth \u00a351 million, while actively trying to resolve their goalkeeper situation. In response to the collapse of Ederson’s move, Al-Ittihad wasted no time securing a new goalkeeper.<\/p>\n

The club signed Rajkovic from Mallorca for a transfer fee of \u00a39.3 million. Rajkovic, a talented Serbian goalkeeper, has made a name for himself with his impressive performances in La Liga. His signing is a strategic move to strengthen Al-Ittihad\u2019s squad and maintain their competitive edge.<\/p>\n

Rajkovic’s Journey<\/b><\/h3>\n

Rajkovic has had a remarkable career trajectory. Starting his professional journey with Red Star Belgrade, he quickly gained recognition for his shot-stopping abilities and composure under pressure. His performances earned him a move to Maccabi Tel Aviv, where he continued to excel.<\/span> In 2019, Rajkovic joined Mallorca, where he further showcased his talents in one of the world\u2019s top leagues.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read More:<\/strong> Barcelona Confident on Stealing ‘Incredible’ Manchester City Target<\/a><\/p>\n

Rajkovic is known for his agility, quick reflexes, and excellent positioning. His ability to command the penalty area and make crucial saves has made him a sought-after goalkeeper. Al-Ittihad\u2019s acquisition of Rajkovic is expected to bolster their defensive lineup and provide stability between the posts.<\/span><\/p>\n

What the Collapsed Move Means for Both Clubs<\/h3>\n

Manchester City’s Goalkeeping Situation<\/h4>\n

With Ederson’s move to Saudi Arabia off the table, Manchester City need to reassess their goalkeeping options<\/a>. The Brazilian has been a “crucial”<\/a> star in Pep Guardiola\u2019s squad, contributing significantly to their domestic and international successes. The club may now focus on securing a new contract for Ederson to ensure his continued presence at the Etihad Stadium.<\/p>\n

Read More:<\/strong> Manchester City in Negotiations to Sell ‘Rising Star’ for \u00a320 Million<\/a><\/p>\n

Additionally, Manchester City has other goalkeeping talents, such as Stefan Ortega, who recently signed a new deal with the club. The club must carefully consider their options and make strategic decisions to maintain their goalkeeping strength.<\/p>\n

Al-Ittihad\u2019s Ambitions and Future Prospects<\/b><\/h4>\n

For Al-Ittihad, the signing of Rajkovic represents a significant step towards achieving their ambitions. The club has been actively strengthening its squad to compete at the highest level in the Saudi Pro League and beyond, bringing in Diaby from Villa and also signing Belgian centre-back Arthur Theate from Rennes on a three-year contract with an option to extend.<\/p>\n

Read More: <\/strong>\u2018You Have to Be Open to Everything\u2019: Manchester City Star Talks About Rumoured Move to Saudi Arabia<\/a><\/p>\n

While Ederson’s move to Saudi Arabia did not advance as expected, Al-Ittihad\u2019s swift action in securing Rajkovic demonstrates their determination to build a competitive team. As the new season approaches, both Manchester City and Al Ittihad will be looking to leverage their goalkeeping talents to achieve their respective goals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The anticipated deal of Manchester City\u2019s goalkeeper Ederson Moraes to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad has fallen through according to Fabrizio Romano. Despite initial negotiations, the transfer could not advance as expected. However, Al-Ittihad swiftly moved to secure a new goalkeeper, signing Predrag Rajkovic from Mallorca for a transfer fee of \u00a39.3 million. Ederson Saudi […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5151,"featured_media":632346,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[30,17,7188],"tags":[1942,100],"class_list":["post-644107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-manchester-city","category-rumours","tag-ederson-moraes","tag-manchester-city"],"modified_by":"Henry Chung, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/644107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5151"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=644107"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/644107\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/632346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=644107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=644107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=644107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}