Ederson Transfer from Benfica to Manchester City Agreed, Held Up over 3rd Party
Benfica have informed the Portuguese stock exchange they have agreed a £35 million deal sending goalkeeper Ederson to Manchester City, but the transfer reportedly cannot be completed until a third-party element is resolved.
Per BBC Sport's Simon Stone, the club told the exchange: "Benfica has reached agreement with Manchester City for the amount of €40 million," adding that half the fee will be paid to "third parties."
Per Stone, according to sources at the Etihad Stadium, the deal can't be ratified until that is concluded "to the Premier League's satisfaction."
Per Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News and the Telegraph's James Ducker, the deal will be a record fee in pound sterling for a goalkeeper, but it won't trump Gianluigi Buffon's move from Parma to Juventus in euros:
The 23-year-old has only been the No. 1 choice at Benfica for little more than a year, but he rapidly established himself as a top young prospect and helped them win the Primeira Liga title last season and again this year.
Goal's Sam Lee believes his capture could be something of a risk in the aftermath of Claudio Bravo's poor first season in England, but the Sky Blues are confident Ederson is the right choice:
The Brazilian is confident on the ball, and his distribution is a particularly strong facet of his game, so he'll fit comfortably into manager Pep Guardiola's plans.
He's a good shot-stopper, too, and is comfortable dealing with crosses.
Sport Witness' Jan Hagen shared the impressive numbers behind his domestic campaign:
Signing a goalkeeper from another league will almost always carry an element of risk—Bravo, for example, had largely been impressive and reliable at Barcelona—but Ederson looks to be an excellent 'keeper with room to improve further still.
City will be hoping he can make a smooth transition to life at the Etihad, once his deal is completed.
