New Manchester City goalkeeper reveals Ederson inspiration after shirt number selection

Manchester City Women’s newest recruit coming into the club’s goalkeeping department has revealed her admiration for Pep Guardiola’s first-team number one.

Ederson has been one of the main stars of Premier League goalkeeping for around eight years, having first joined Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City operation from SL Benfica in the summer market of 2017.

With the Catalan coach employing a new style of goalkeeping at the Etihad Stadium, demanding players play the ball out of defence instead of hitting long balls towards central strikers, Ederson was deemed as the most suitable to that philosophy.

The Brazilian has also fended off competition for his number one shirt from several goalkeepers throughout his time with Manchester City thus far, including the likes of Zack Steffen and currently Stefan Ortega.

Ederson’s style of play and achievements in a Manchester City shirt have inspired an entire generation of up and coming goalkeepers, as well as those starring in the women’s game, as seen by the club’s newest recruit to their Women’s Super League squad.

Speaking to Manchester City’s official club website in light of joining the Joie Stadium side, Ayaka Yamashita admitted that her admiration for the men’s first-team’s number one choice Ederson played a part in her shirt number choice.

“It’s exciting to join a team with Ederson, whom I admire,” Yamashita said.

After selecting the number 31 shirt number at Manchester City, the 28-year-old continued, “To wear the same shirt, I’m really looking forward to it.”

Manchester City signed the Japanese goalkeeper on a three-year deal from INAC Kobe, confirming the arrival of the player on Friday morning, with the move to the north-west of England being the first time that the 28-year-old has joined a club outside her home country.

Upon joining the WSL giants, Yamashita not only said she is “very hungry” and looking forward to the challenge of playing in England’s top division, but also added, “I’ve won various trophies in Asia, but to level up myself I felt the need to take on a challenge.

“It’s a famous club that everyone knows, and even now, it feels unbelievable to me.”

Yamashita has featured 74 times for her country Japan, and has also won a staggering 17 major honours throughout the course of her career.