On Thursday, it was revealed that Manchester City are set to sign free agent goalkeeper Stefan Ortega as their new second-choice goalkeeper, with Zack Steffen assessing his options for game time ahead of the World Cup in Qatar later this year. Today, further details emerged relating to the finer details of Ortega's expected move to the Etihad Stadium.
Florian Plettenberg of Sky Sport in Germany has revealed that the 29-year-old will sign a deal with the Premier League champions until the summer of 2025, with a medical expected to take place next week ahead of the free transfer.
Despite being unable to prevent the relegation of his boyhood club Arminia Bielefeld in the last campaign, Ortega has emerged as one of the Bundesliga's more outstanding goalkeepers, boasting the second-highest save percentage in the division as well as making the second-most saves over the season.
It is not only his shot-stopping ability that has caught the eye – rather unsurprisingly, the German is also known to be very comfortable with the ball at his feet with an incredible ability for accurate long passes, which are fundamental for Pep Guardiola's style of play.
Ortega has been subject to interest from Bayern Munich in the past, and yesterday it was revealed by Dirk Schlarmann of Sky Sport Germany that the player had rejected offers from the Bundesliga and Spain, opting for Manchester.
Steffen will face stiff competition for his starting position at the World Cup with the US Men's National Team, and reports have suggested that the 27-year-old is keen to secure regular game time in order to establish his position ahead of the World Cup at the end of this year.
On Thursday night, it was reported by the ever-reliable Martin Blackburn of The Sun that City are looking at options for the American, with a one-year loan deal looking the most likely solution.
Many supporters have been left disappointed by a few of Steffen's performances since he was integrated into the first team in 2020, particularly in both FA Cup semi-final defeats in the last two seasons, and concerns have been raised about his ability to play out from the back against top opposition.
Despite that, Blackburn reports that Steffen is well regarded by Guardiola and the coaching staff at the club, so it would seem that a departure for the goalkeeper is purely based on his desire to play more regularly ahead of the World Cup.
City have moved quickly to secure Ortega's services and will look to seal deals for Kalvin Phillips from Leeds United and Marc Cucurella from Brighton as early as they possibly can as pre-season edges closer for Guardiola and co.
Written by: @NA1907
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