Manchester City have signed goalkeeper Stefan Ortega on a free transfer after his contract at Arminia Bielefeld expired, the Premier League club said on Friday.
Ortega, who has signed a three-year deal with the Premier League champions and will wear the number 18 shirt, becomes City’s second summer signing after the arrival of striker Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund in a 51m pounds deal.
“We are pleased to announce the signing of goalkeeper Stefan Ortega Moreno on a three-year deal. Welcome to City, Stefan!,” said Manchester City in a tweet.
The 29-year-old German said the chance to join City was an opportunity he could not miss.
“This is a fantastic move for me. Manchester City are an amazing team — a squad with world-class quality in every area. To be given the chance to join this group of players and help continue the Club’s success is a dream for me,” said Moreno in a club statement.
“I have enjoyed my time in Germany and I want to thank the Arminia Bielefeld fans for their support. But this new challenge of coming to City and playing in the Premier League is too good for me to ignore. I can’t wait to get started, meet my teammates and begin working with Pep and his backroom staff,” he added.
Moreno started all but one of Armin’a Bielefeld’s Bundesliga matches last term. In total, he made 220 appearances across two different spells at a team he joined as a youngster in 2007.
The goalkeeper made his first-team debut four years later, helping them win promotion to 2 Bundesliga in 2013. He joined TSV 1860 Munich in 2014, making 64 appearances in three years there, before re-signing for Bielefeld in 2017 and eventually becoming vice-captain.
“This is a very good deal for the City. Stefan has an excellent pedigree — his career speaks for itself,” Director of Football Txiki Begiristain said.
“We are signing a goalkeeper who has vast experience, and he will help us in our quest for more trophies. He has joined to compete with the other goalkeepers and help our youngsters, so it’s a transfer we are really pleased to have secured,” he added.
(Inputs from IANS)