Why Manchester City should extend the stay of Scott Carson
According to The Athletic (h/t Daily Mail), Manchester City are keen on extending the loan deal of Scott Carson by another season.
The Derby County goalkeeper arrived at the Etihad on loan last summer as cover for first-choice man Ederson and back-up keeper Claudio Bravo. However, the 34-year-old spent last season on the sidelines as he failed to make a single appearance for City.
Meanwhile, the report also suggests that Carson is equally keen on joining Pep Guardiola’s side despite not playing a single match as he is gearing up for a career in coaching. Guardiola and City, on the other hand, are looking for a potential replacement for their second-keeper Bravo, who is on the verge of leaving the club.
Veteran keeper Bravo’s contract with City is set to expire this month, with the Chilean attracting interest from Spanish side Real Betis in recent weeks.
In Carson, Manchester City have a proven keeper beside them
Though he has never featured for City so far, Carson is nothing short of experience. With 260 Championship games and 145 Premier League matches under his belt, Carson is a widely experienced customer. He could be a great presence for City given Bravo’s expected departure.
The four-cap England international also has experience playing abroad for Turkish side Bursaspor, for whom he kept 27 clean sheets during his two-year spell there.
Carson was a regular in his Derby side, excelling with 60 clean sheets from 171 appearances to date. This eventually led to City signing him on loan last season. Meanwhile, for City, Bravo’s exit will leave them with just out-of-favour keepers Zack Steffen and youngster Arijanet Muric in the ranks.
Both of them spent last season on loan, with Fortuna Düsseldorf and Nottingham Forest respectively, suggesting that they are clearly not Guardiola’s favourites at the moment. With Bravo’s future uncertain, it would thus be safe for City to extend Carson’s loan stay by another year. His experience between the sticks will immensely benefit them.
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Verdict
Bravo’s departure means Manchester City will soon be left with just one established keeper in Ederson. This could be a major deterrent in their pursuit of returning to the top next season. Hence, keeping Carson on loan for another season seems like a safe bet at the moment. Also, having not yet featured for City, he will be keen to prove a point if given a chance.
