Nottingham Forest genuinely tried to sign £55,000-a-week Man City player in January

Redaction Simon Brett with Srinivas Sadhanand
Published on 2024-03-13 16:30:00

Nottingham Forest showed interest in signing Stefan Ortega during the January transfer window. Earlier, there were rumors linking Ortega to Bayern Munich, but Pep Guardiola expressed his desire to keep him at Manchester City. Despite City’s efforts to secure a new contract with him, Ortega is reportedly eager to become a club’s number one goalkeeper elsewhere.

At 31 years old, Ortega is highly regarded as an “incredible ‘keeper” by John Stones and deserves more playing time. The Athletic revealed that Nottingham Forest’s interest in Ortega was declined in January, with several clubs from the Premier League and Europe eyeing the shotstopper. While he is content at City and may extend his contract, it is believed that Ortega joined the club in 2022 to work with Guardiola and goalkeeping coach Xabi Mancisdor, rejecting other lucrative offers.

Ortega’s improvement as a goalkeeper, particularly in positioning, has been acknowledged by City and his suitors. City’s decision to retain Ortega in January was deemed sensible, as finding a replacement mid-season for such a talented goalkeeper would pose a challenge. Mancisdor’s confidence in enhancing Ortega’s abilities played a pivotal role in his decision to join City.

The speculation surrounding Ortega’s potential departure raises questions about City’s stance on selling him to clubs like Nottingham Forest. However, given his value as a goalkeeper, City’s reluctance to part ways with him in January was justified. Retaining a player of Ortega’s caliber mid-season is crucial for any club, and City made the right choice by keeping him.

Read Original article on Manchester City News