Manchester City round-up: Ederson deal nears completion; Liverpool target free agent; Iheanacho to remain in England

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Benfica goalkeeper Ederson Moraes is on the brink of completing a £34.7 million move to Manchester City, according to the Manchester Evening News, with an official announcement imminent.

The report claims that the 23-year-old is currently in Manchester to iron out the final few details of the move, with a view to it being completed before the end of the week.

It is believed that the club were still sorting out issues regarding his third party ownership on Tuesday evening, with Portuguese side Rio Aves and Jorge Mendes’ agency set to retain 50% rights.

The young goalkeeper is set to become City’s number one after a sparkling season for Benfica, and with Willy Caballero being released it’s believed Claudio Bravo will be used as an understudy from now.

Ederson would become Pep Guardiola’s second signing of the summer – just a fortnight after the Premier League season ended – after City secured the services of Monaco’s Bernardo Silva last week.

Meanwhile, according to reports in The Sun, Liverpool are set to make a move for veteran defender Gael Clichy after the 31-year-old was part of Pep Guardiola’s mass clear-out at Manchester City last Wednesday.

Clichy, who made 25 Premier League appearances as Guardiola’s preferred left-back this season, joined Jesus Navas, Willy Caballero, Bacary Sagna and Pablo Zabaleta through the Etihad exit door.

And reports are now suggesting that Jurgen Klopp is on the brink of offering free-agent Clichy a two-year deal at Anfield until 2019, with the option of an additional year inserted into the contract.

The Reds have been struggling for options in the left-back position, using midfielder James Milner there for most of the campaign, and they narrowly clinched their top-four finish on a dramatic final day.

Meanwhile, out-of-favour striker Kelechi Iheanacho is reportedly set to snub potential offers of a move to Germany and France in order to continue his development in the Premier League.

ESPN claim that the 20-year-old has alerted the interest of both Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint Germain, but an unnamed source close to the Nigerian has dismissed suggestions of a move abroad.

According to ESPN, this source said:

“He has been in England for the last three years and is two years away from getting his UK citizenship. There is no point in moving outside England right now.”

Iheanacho has struggled for regular first-team action this season since the arrival of fellow young forward Gabriel Jesus, making just five Premier League starts in 20 appearances under Guardiola.

It is believed that West Ham are the prime destination for the 20-year-old should he leave the Etihad this summer, potentially securing a £20 million move to join up with ex-City teammate Pablo Zabaleta.

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