Chelsea FC have joined the battle for the Benfica goalkeeper Ederson, according to the Portuguese newspaper A Bola.
As reported this week, the Eagles’ president Luis Filipe Vieira has been in Manchester to negotiate the player’s transfer. Manchester City are said to be still leading the race, as their interest dates back to the last summer.
Besides Claudio Bravo’s disappointing season, Willy Caballero’s contract is expiring in a few months. And as Pep Guardiola is unlikely to want Joe Hart back at the club, his favourite player for the position would be Ederson.
A Manchester City official was said to be in Lisbon a few weeks ago to restate their interest and learn more about potential transfer conditions.
Now, A Bola doesn’t seem to know what they’ve talked about in Manchester, but say the goalkeeper’s price is of €40m.
Manchester City will find it difficult to negotiate now. That’s because when they met Benfica in Lisbon, the player’s release clause was still of €45m.
Now, Ederson has a new contract, and the new €60m clause is something Benfica can rely on to get a bigger fee.
A Bola then claims that Chelsea have also made Benfica aware they’re also keeping tabs on the goalkeeper. But the signing would only happen in case Thibaut Courtois leaves to Real Madrid in the next summer, something we doubt Antonio Conte will want to avoid at all costs.
