Ederson - all you need to know
HE HASN’T HAD AN EASY RIDE TO THE TOP ALTHOUGH picked up by Benfica at 16, his big break took its time to come. He was allowed to leave for lowly Ribeirao after two years with the Primeira Liga’s junior side. He won a top-flight reprieve with Rio Ave and once again pricked Benfica’s interest in 2015. He started in the ‘B’ team but had since proved to be a worthy number one.
HE HAD TO ELBOW JULIO CESAR ASIDE EVEN on his return to Estadio da Luz, Ederson faced considerable challenges. Chief among them was Julio Cesar. The former Inter Milan stalwart had been a revelation in 2015, earning a contract extension through to 2018, but when Ederson’s chance came he took it and Cesar has performed understudy duties ever since.
HE IS YET TO WIN AN INTERNATIONAL CAP DESPITE his transfer fee, Ederson has less international experience than Burnley’s Tom Heaton. He has appeared for Brazil’s under-21s and under-23s but had to withdraw from 2016’s Copa America Centenario, which offered one of his best chances of a senior appearance.
HE HAS BEEN ON CITY’S RADAR FOR A WHILE EDERSON was taking part in a Q&A session on Facebook last June when he was asked about interest from Bayern Munich and City. He offered a tentative preference for the Etihad Stadium although, at the time at least, he was not contemplating any kind of transfer. He said: “City or Munich? They are two great teams, two teams that will fight for titles next season. But I prefer England and City.”
DANGEROUS DISTRIBUTION NOBODY knows better than Joe Hart how important a goalkeeper’s skill with the ball at his feet is to Guardiola, and Ederson appears to have every box ticked on that score. He has often charged from his box, occasionally even beyond the last defender, to snuff out attacks. He has a reputation for being both a considered passer of the ball and, when the time comes, a huge kicker. He directly assisted goals by picking out strikers from his goal-kicks and once scored from his own box as a youth player, giving City a handsome range of deliveries from the back.