How Pep Guardiola Convinced Ederson to Reject Saudi Pro League Offer

Ederson turned down an "unusual proposal" from the Saudi Pro League to stay at Manchester City.

Ederson rejected a move to the Saudi Pro League to stay with Manchester City. / IMAGO/Every Second Media

Months after Ederson was linked with Saudi Arabia's Al-Ittihad, the Brazilian revealed why he decided to stay with Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

Before the 2024–25 season kicked off, Ederson looked to be the next player on the cusp of a move to the Saudi Pro League. Rumors of a potential transfer only grew after Stefan Ortega's impressive performances for Manchester City while the Brazilian was sidelined with various injuries. The move never happened, though, and Ederson confirmed the real reason he remained loyal to the Citizens.

"There really was a proposal on the table [to transfer to the Saudi Pro League], something that weighed heavily, because it was an unusual proposal," Ederson told TNT Sports Brazil.

The goalkeeper did not reveal the details of the deal or what made it so "unusual," but he went on to credit Guardiola for convincing him to stay in Manchester.

"I had countless conversations with Guardiola, and one of them was essential," he continued. "But from what he told me, the guarantees, the process and the evolution I had with him...all of that was essential for my staying at City."

Ederson joined Manchester City in 2017 and has amassed a trophy cabinet full of silverware in his seven years with the club. The 31-year-old topped the Premier League six times, including the last four years in a row, and won the 2023 Champions League. He and the Citizens also took home two FA Cups, four EFL Cups and a Club World Cup.

Ederson inked a new five-year deal with Manchester City back in 2021 that keeps him at the club until the summer of 2026. Should he fulfill his full contract, the goalkeeper will be one year shy of a decade with the club.

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