Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen will reportedly look to sign 32-year-old German goalkeeper Stefan Ortega from Manchester City in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by German outlet BILD, Stefan Ortega is the subject of interest from Bayer Leverkusen. The Bundesliga champions are scouring the market for a goalkeeper heading into the summer transfer window and have set their sights on the Manchester City stopper. Meanwhile, the Premier League champions will demand around €8 million to part ways with him.
How has Stefan Ortega fared at Manchester City?
Stefan Ortega has established himself as one of the best backup goalkeepers in the Premier League since joining Manchester City from Arminia Bielefeld in July 2022. The experienced shot-stopper’s stature has grown in the last three years, even though he has never been an undisputed first-choice starter for the Premier League club.
However, with Ederson Moraes blowing hot and cold this season, the 32-year-old has received several opportunities to make his mark between the sticks. Ortega has amassed nearly 1,500 minutes of game time in 16 appearances across all competitions, keeping four clean sheets and conceding 22 goals.
Meanwhile, despite being on the wrong side of 30, the German goalkeeper is highly sought-after in the market. Recent reports have linked the Manchester City shot-stopper with Atletico Madrid. However, Bayer Leverkusen will aim to beat the competition to his signature in the summer transfer window.
Bundesliga return on the horizon?
Stefan Ortega has been on Bayer Leverkusen’s radar for a long time. The continued interest might be surprising, considering Lukas Hradecky is the first-choice goalkeeper for the 2023/24 Bundesliga winners. However, the veteran stopper is in the twilight of his career, while Matej Kovar has not won over Xabi Alonso in the last two seasons.
So, Bayer Leverkusen might dip into the market for a goalkeeper in the summer transfer window, with Ortega emerging as a viable target. Meanwhile, the 32-year-old will not cost a bomb, considering he will enter the final 12 months of his Manchester City contract when the summer transfer window opens.
The Premier League champions will demand around €8 million to part ways with the German shot-stopper in the summer transfer window. It will be interesting to see if a deal worth €8 million sees the light of day, taking Manchester City’s backup goalkeeper to Bayer Leverkusen.
