From Germany: Manchester City contract talks with first-team star ‘significantly deadlocked’ – Summer move a possibility

Talks over a contract extension for Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega remain “significantly stalled”, according to new reports from Germany.

Manchester City’s back-up goalkeeper has been in sensational form this season, with the shot-stopper being called upon more often than perhaps expected due to the injuries suffered by mainstay Ederson.

Ortega’s golden moments came towards the end of the current season, playing in performances at Anfield, Santiago Bernabeu and most notably at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Premier League match.

After replacing Ederson in the second half due to the Brazilian suffering a fractured orbit, Ortega excelled and maintained a crucial lead for Manchester City, denying Tottenham on three occasions, including a one-on-one against Heung-min Son.

However, the future remains far from certain for Ortega at Manchester City, with his performances for the club no doubt deserving of consistent first-team opportunities elsewhere in the European game.

Moreover, it is detailed that the situation remains without any agreement and especially on the “financial aspects” of a new agreement, with Ortega’s personal ambitions in play remaining stronger than ever.

Plettenberg details that it is clear that Stefan Ortega wants to be the number one choice in goal in the future, either at Manchester City or at another club. If an Etihad Stadium contract extension is not agreed in the “coming weeks”, a summer move is “planned”.

In all competitions this season, Stefan Ortega has made 19 appearances for Manchester City, the majority of which have come in the Premier League, while he has played in all of the club’s domestic cup matches.

Ortega will also start Manchester City’s final competitive game of the season as the club travel to Wembley Stadium to take on Manchester United on Saturday afternoon as they aim to retain their FA Cup title.

Of Manchester City’s five matches in the tournament so far this season, Ortega has managed to keep four clean sheets in the semi-final stage against Huddersfield Town, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Chelsea.