Man City star ‘upset’ teammate was not sold and may force a January transfer exit.

Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega was reportedly ‘upset’ after not being promoted to first-choice goalkeeper ahead of the new season.

If Ederson had departed the Etihad Stadium during the summer transfer window due to strong links to the Saudi Pro League, the 31-year-old would have most likely taken his place. But the Brazilian goalkeeper stayed put, relegating Ortega to the bench and limiting his appearances to cup competitions.

According to Sport Bild reporter Christian Falk, City’s backup is ‘upset’ that the plan did not work out, and he is desperate for regular football as he pursues a call-up from Germany.

Ortega has never played for the national team, which is looking for a starting goalkeeper after Manuel Neuer retired from international football and Marc-Andre ter Stegen suffered a long-term injury.

According to the source, Ortega would try to force his way out of Manchester, possibly as early as January, if he is not given a clear path to becoming the club’s No. 1 next season. Guardiola’s situation forces him to strike a careful balance between two top-tier choices in order to keep his players satisfied.

Ortega made 14 appearances in his debut season and 20 last season, however the bulk were in domestic cups or the Champions League, with Ederson remaining a regular in the manager’s top-flight lineup.

It remains to be seen whether Ortega can be persuaded to stay in the coming months. The former Arminia Bielefeld goalkeeper has performed admirably when called upon by the Blues, earning Guardiola’s praise as one of the best one-on-one goalkeepers he has ever seen.

However, Ederson remains the benchmark in terms of possession. Guardiola recently provided insight on the transfer issue that nearly led him to the Middle East and could resurface at the conclusion of the season to free up room for Ortega.

[Ederson] knew from the start that I didn’t want him to leave,” he explained. “The truth is, the offer did not come. The actual offer. They make an offer, but the keeper who has won the Premier League four times in a row has both value and price. Otherwise, he cannot leave.

“If the offer had arrived, perhaps he shouldn’t be here. This is true. Ederson is quite strong, but when he changed his mind, he claimed he was here and would try his best.

“Stefan is outstanding, and Ederson knows he needs to perform well or Stefan will play. This competitiveness they have because they have respect and a strong relationship helps our team improve.”