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Manchester City trained on Tuesday morning before Real Madrid as a number of players think about their futures for the January window
Hugo Viana reflected proudly at the end of his first summer in charge of Manchester City's recruitment that the goalkeeping department was the best around. “We have four great goalkeepers in James, Donnarumma, Marcus and Ortega which was important for the club and the dressing room, and I don’t see any team stronger than us on the goalkeeping position, so we are really happy with them," he said.
It shouldn't have been a surprise that their four keepers trumped everyone else given it is at least one more than most clubs would care about. Everyone wants a strong No.1 and a strong No.2 to challenge them alongside a dependable No.3, but it isn't easy to maintain that because if your No.2 is good enough they should want to be a No.1.
That was always the case with Stefan Ortega, who pushed Ederson during the Treble year and then made that save at Spurs in the penultimate game of the 2024/25 season to help make more history. The opportunities came to replace Ederson last term but Ortega did not take any of them and rather than head off in summer to be a No.1 elsewhere with a full year before the World Cup he stayed put.
That was despite City signing James Trafford, who arrived back at the Etihad with visions of becoming No.1 for club and country for the next decade and heard nothing from the club to suggest otherwise. It turned out, however, that City had also been trying to sign Gianluigi Donnarumma all summer as well and they completed that deal on deadline day to bump Trafford down to No.2; Marcus Bettinelli is the new Scott Carson as the reliable No.3 that never plays.
Both Trafford and Ortega want a move in January to get more games, but City are unlikely to sanction exits for both without a replacement. That leaves the prospect of at least one unhappy keeper when the winter window closes.
Viana spoke back in September of the importance of Trafford for the future despite also talking about how many years Donnarumma has to give at just 26, and while all four goalkeepers trained on Tuesday morning before Real Madrid only three of them trained with the goalkeeping coaches.
Trafford was alongside Donnarumma and Bettinelli being put through their paces by specialist coaches Xabi Mancisidor and Richard Wright, while Ortega was with the outfield players taking part in rondos. It was glaringly obvious to see which player City would rather keep in their goalkeeping ranks.
That does not mean that Trafford will definitely stay or that Ortega will definitely leave, but the hierarchy could not be clearer. Ortega's route to a City exit will be much easier - and cheaper - to navigate than the man who arrived in summer and took the No.1 shirt.
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