Football
Jonathan Smith, Manchester City correspondent 7y

Man City keeper Ederson: Pep Guardiola said to forget price tag

Pep Guardiola has told Ederson Moraes to forget about his expensive price tag and enjoy being Manchester City's new No. 1.

City paid Portuguese side Benfica £34.7 million for the Brazilian, making him the second-most expensive goalkeeper in history behind Juventus' Gianluigi Buffon.

The 23-year-old has impressed in preseason -- other than an error in the International Champions Cup defeat to Manchester United -- and has already showed the ball skills that Guardiola demands from his keepers.

But Ederson says he has been given plenty of freedom in his role and insists he doesn't feel any extra pressure from the transfer fee City paid.

"He wants me to keep doing the same style of game, starting the build-up. He said that as of now I'm going to have more options in the build-up, to play both short and long balls. On top of that, he wants me to enjoy it," Ederson said.

"I don't there's extra pressure on me. I know it's a big responsibility considering I have become one of the most expensive goalkeepers. It doesn't make an influence on me, maybe for others it does. I'm calm and I'm ready to help my team.

"Of course [Guardiola being in charge] had an influence on me. Guardiola is one of the best managers in the world.

"I was very happy when I found out he wanted to count on me. So, I didn't think twice when I got the proposal from City."

Ederson is set to start Saturday's opening game against Brighton & Hove ahead of Claudio Bravo, who endured a miserable debut season following his move from Barcelona last August. But the new keeper says Bravo is a quality player and has come back in top form after impressing with Chile at the Confederations Cup in the summer.

"Claudio had a great tournament with the national team, he came back with lots of confidence," Ederson added.

"I hope both of us can help the team and I'm sure both of us are going to be ready to play."

Ederson said he settled in quickly at the Etihad Stadium and said he spoke to fellow Brazilians Fernandinho and Gabriel Jesus before completing the move.

"It was the proposal they presented me, this is a club with big ambition to win trophies this season. That fact attracted me a lot," he said.

"Guardiola is building a young squad, for the present and the future. The beginning of the season has been great. I'm settling in very well, I just need to learn to speak the language.

"I spoke to Gabriel Jesus and Fernandinho before I came here, I knew them from the Brazilian national side. They told me this is a really big club with a nice history.

"They also told me about the city. Manchester is a bit different from the city I used to live in -- it's colder! But I'm settling in well here."

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