Manchester City sign Ederson from Benfica

Manchester City have completed the €40million signing of Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson from Benfica.

The Premier League club confirmed the transfer on Thursday, one week after the Portuguese champions announced they had reached an agreement to sell the 23-year-old to City.

In a statement to their national stock exchange, Benfica confirmed 50 per cent of the fee would be paid to “third parties” and after waiting for final approval, Pep Guardiola’s men have now announced the deal.

Ederson, who has reportedly signed a five-year contract but did not have the length of his deal officially announced, told City’s website: “I like everything about Manchester City. 

“This is a great club, the league they have here in England and they have amazing fans and they play splendid football. I have always had the dream to play in English football and now I’m going to make it true.”

We know you’ve waited a long time, and so have the lads!
Green light received! #WelcomeEderson pic.twitter.com/U8Kg44fl2m

— Manchester City (@ManCity) June 8, 2017

The move makes Ederson the most expensive goalkeeper in history in terms of sterling, with his move equating to £35m at current exchange rates to outstrip Gianluigi Buffon’s £32.6m move from Parma to Juventus in 2001. However, at the time that switch came in at €53m.

City’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, added: “We are delighted to bring Ederson to Manchester City. 

“He is one of the best young goalkeepers in the Europe and he is an important addition to the squad for next season and the coming seasons.

“He is young, has all the qualities you could want as a top-class goalkeeper and I think he’ll fit in really well to our squad.”

The goalkeeping spot has proved a problem position for City boss Guardiola since he jettisoned Joe Hart to Serie A side Torino at the start of last season.

Claudio Bravo came in from Barcelona but endured an error-strewn introduction to English football, eventually losing his first-team place to Hart’s former understudy Willy Caballero.

Caballero is one of five senior players City have announced will leave the club when their contracts expire next month, with Chile captain Bravo set to remain as Ederson’s understudy.

Ederson helped Benfica to a fourth consecutive Primeira Liga title this season, as well playing in their Taca de Portugal final victory last week in his last appearance for the club.

He is City’s second big-money arrival of the close-season after Bernardo Silva joined from Monaco last month for a reported initial fee of €50m.