Manchester City are set to swap starting goalkeepers on this extremely busy summer transfer window deadline day. Ederson, one of the most decorated players in club history, leaves after eight years of service to join Fenerbahce (who just sacked distinguished manager Jose Mourinho earlier this week). Gianluigi Donnarumma, fresh off being supplanted at Paris Saint-Germain, comes in to take his place in between the sticks.
Ederson, who won a treble in 2022-23, plus six Premier Leagues, two FA Cups, four League Cups, a Champions League, a Uefa Super Cup, and a Club World Cup, joins the Turkish side for €14m (£12.1m).
Donnarumma, who is also a goalie who is about as accomplished as it gets, makes the move over from PSG for a fee that’s reported to be about €35m.
The Italian international, who has been linked to Man City ever since he was dropped at Paris Saint-Germain, has been vocal about his desire to leave. Once PSG signed Lucas Chevalier from Lille, the writing was on the wall for Gigi to say ciao!
James Trafford had been holding it down in goal, starting the first three games of the season while Ederson was sorting out his club future.
He had previously been linked to Galatasaray.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter