Blues face keeper crisis
CITY are considering their options after Claudio Bravo flew to Barcelona for further tests on a ruptured Achilles tendon.
The former Barcelona goalkeeper, who was back-up to Ederson last year and starred in the Carabao Cup, is expected to miss the majority of the season with the injury and his absence leaves the Blues short of cover.
Daniel Grimshaw, 20, is the club’s third-choice goalkeeper for the season but has not played a competitive game, while Joe Hart and Angus Gunn were allowed to leave for Burnley and Southampton respectively in permanent deals this summer.
There was a suggestion that Aro Muric, effectively a year ahead of Grimshaw in his development having trained with and shadowed the first team last year, could be brought back from a loan spell at NAC Breda to reinforce the squad. However, sources at the Dutch club expect the 19-year-old to stay.
Muric trained with his team-mates as usual yesterday and has quickly made an impression on the coaching staff.
Given they planned their season around him being No.1, it would leave NAC – who have an arrangement with City to take a number of youngsters on loan every year – with a goalkeeping hole to fill were Muric to leave.
City could also consider a free transfer or try to secure an emergency loan but there are no clear alternatives.
HAVING allowed three goalkeepers to leave the club in summer, City suddenly find themselves short at the back.
The long-term Achille injury suffered by Claudio Bravo leaves Ederson as the only senior goalkeeper at the club with 20-year-old Daniel Grimshaw the appointed third stopper for the season.
Pep Guardiola has a decision to make. Does he look for a potential bargain in the free transfer market, could an emergency loan be possible, or does he keep faith with a green goalkeeper yet to get significant minutes under their belt?
If he cannot bring in a solution from elsewhere, the opportunity is there for young goalkeepers on the club’s books. Here’s a look at the options for the City manager from within the academy.
DANIEL GRIMSHAW
The current No.3 at the club, lifelong Blue Grimshaw was the regular stopper in the Under-23s side last season and also starred in the Under-19s as they reached the UEFA Youth League semi-finals.
He is yet to play a competitive game and was unused in three summer friendlies on the pre-season tour, with Bravo and Joe Hart used instead.
WHAT THEY SAID: “He is a goalkeeper of great potential and has impressed Pep Guardiola and his coaching staff over the past two seasons with his hard work and progress. As a result of this, Daniel will be increasingly involved in the first team set up next season.
“He is young and is still learning his trade, but we are happy he is continuing his education at Manchester City and look forward to watching him progress in the coming seasons.” Txiki Begiristain, City director of football, 2018
ARO MURIC
Third-choice last year behind Ederson and Bravo, Muric has been sent on loan to NAC Breda for the season to get some competitive minutes in the Eredivisie. The 19-year-old is the option with the most experience but City would have to recall the player - possibly upsetting the Dutch club in the process, who have planned their season around Muric being No.1 – and there has been no contact yet.
WHAT THEY SAID: “I’ve been impressed with him every day. He trains at such a high level and he’s got such a fantastic attitude and you want to see players like that getting on in the game. He’s very disciplined and he’s committed to being a top player.” Lee Carsley while City Under-18s coach, 2017
CURTIS ANDERSON
In goal for England Under-17s as Phil Foden led the young Lions to World Cup glory last October, Anderson has long had an excellent reputation from within the City academy. He played the first game of the season for the Under-23s (a 6-5 win!) and may be incredibly green at 17 but it is an extreme situation and Guardiola has not been afraid to play teenagers before. WHAT THEY SAID: “I was in contract with him every game [during the Under-17 World Cup]. I was watching them on Eurosport and he was contacting me straight away, on cloud nine if they’d won and asking my opinion on what I thought on certain bits of a goal that they had conceded.” Gareth Taylor, City Under-18s coach, 2017
He is a goalkeeper of great potential and has impressed Pep Guardiola Txiki Bergiristain on Daniel Grimshaw