Manchester City first-team star issues fresh hint at summer transfer exit after making major personal decision

Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega has taken the decision to purchase a new house in Germany, fuelling speculation of a potential summer exit from the Etihad Stadium.

The 31-year-old has been linked with a potential exit from Manchester City at the end of the current season, with the German goalkeeper stalling contract extension talks at the Etihad Stadium and having rejected the opportunity to sign for Bayern Munich last summer.

Ortega, who signed a three-year deal with Manchester City upon completing a free transfer from Arminia Bielefeld in July 2022, is in contention to start Sunday’s showdown Premier League clash with Arsenal due to Ederson’s recent injury.

The shot-stopper has made 11 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side so far this season and could play a key role in the Blues’ treble defence hopes, with Ederson expected to remain sidelined as a result of a muscular injury sustained at Anfield earlier this month.

City face three Premier League games before a crunch Champions League quarter-final clash with Real Madrid, with the Cityzens currently one point behind both Arsenal and Liverpool in the Premier League title race.

Ortega is firmly focussed on the current campaign, and also featured 14 times during last season’s treble-winning season, including helping Manchester City to an historic FA Cup triumph at Wembley Stadium.

The goalkeeper’s future beyond this season has been thrown into further doubt however, with Sport Witness relaying a report from SportBILD in Germany, who claim that Ortega has recently purchased a new house in Hamburg, ahead of a potential return to the Bundesliga this summer.

Bayern Munich made a late attempt to sign Ortega last summer, meanwhile fellow Bundesliga outfit VfB Stuttgart could reportedly emerge as a possible destination, should Alexander Nubel complete a permanent transfer to the Allianz Arena.

Ortega is further claimed to ‘want to feel at home’ in Hamburg, and ‘would consider’ a move back to Germany this summer if the opportunity arises, as the goalkeeper ‘wants’ to make his newly purchased house his ‘home’.

Manchester City could be set to secure a sizeable profit should they sell Ortega, with the German having moved to east Manchester on a free transfer less than two years ago.