When Pep Guardiola took the decision to offload Joe Hart on his arrival at Manchester City in 2016, it was because he didn’t feel the Englishman was good enough with the ball at his feet.Guardiola subsequently signed Claudio Bravo from Barcelona, but the Chilean goalkeeper struggled in his debut Premier League season.Having seen enough from Bravo, Guardiola went and splashed out £35 million on 23-year-old Ederson from Benfica.It proved an inspired piece of business for City.Ederson has helped City win a host of major honours over the past few years, including two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and three League Cups.The Brazilian is a fine shot-stopper but it’s his distribution and footballing ability which sets him apart from many other Premier League ‘keepers.His array of passing is exceptional for a goalkeeper. Kevin De Bruyne would be proud of some of the passes he plays.During the opening minutes of Wednesday night’s clash between City and Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium, Ederson produced an utterly glorious pass for Gabriel Jesus.Watch it here…
No wonder Jamie Carragher, providing co-commentary on Sky Sports, said ‘wow’.
That’s one of the best passes we’ve ever seen from a goalkeeper.
Ederson’s left-footed pass was driven like a bullet through the Bournemouth defence, leaving Gabriel Jesus free to burst into the box.
When Ederson claimed he could play in the Premier League as a midfielder back in 2018, he meant it.
"When I played in the Benfica youth teams, they would always call me to play in midfield if someone was missing and I didn't ever embarrass myself," the South American told FourFourTwo magazine.
"So, if necessary, I'm definitely up to the task. It wouldn't be easy, especially in the Premier League, but I think I could manage the challenge.
"There are so many good players in this team who are ahead of me. I was always comfortable with the ball at my feet, and this helps me during games. I think it's a natural talent.
"It's something I've been working on since I started out at Sao Paulo, and over time, I've tried to improve my skills."
Opta’s Duncan Alexander posted the following stat after Ederson’s latest moment of magic…
And midway through the half, Ederson showed off his shot-stoping ability with a brilliant save from Junior Stanislas...
What a goalkeeper.