Manchester City are well-positioned to make Gianluigi Donnarumma their shock first signing of the summer.
The Citizens are heading into what could well be a tumultuous summer, with manager Pep Guardiola preparing for a squad overhaul after bringing in the likes of Omar Marmoush and Abdukodir Khusanov in January.
33-year-old Kevin De Bruyne has already announced his departure – and with an ageing group that contains the likes of Nathan Ake, John Stones, Bernardo Silva (all 30), Mateo Kovacic (31), Ilkay Gundogan and Kyle Walker (both 34), Manchester City could see further churn.
Manchester City targeting a new goalkeeper, with the ‘track leading directly’ to Gianluigi Donnrumma
Another area of concern for Guardiola is in goal, where neither Ederson nor Stefan Ortega have fully convinced this season, with both rotating between the sticks.
With the pair 31 and 32 respectively, there is scope for City to bring in a younger player to compete with both of them – with Portuguese newspaper O Jogo denying claims that a bid was launched for Porto stopper Diogo Costa.
According to Sportitalia, however, Gianluigi Donnarumma – ranked at no.9 in FourFourTwo's list of the best goalkeepers in the world right now – is a serious option with his contract ending in 2026.
The Italian captain is yet to agree terms with employers Paris Saint-Germain over an extension to his current deal, and with the Ligue 1 champions said to be undervaluing the player's performances, the likes of City have been named as suitors alongside Juventus, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich.
Sport Witness have relayed the claims, confirming that the finances are in place for a deal, which could see a reduced transfer fee – given that the player is out of contract next summer – offset by higher wages, with Capology estimating that the 26-year-old currently earns around £220,000 a week at the Parc Des Princes.
FourFourTwo understands that PSG will look to tie up extensions for key players after the season, with the potential of a Champions League final to come this month, so City may not get their chance to pounce.
Regardless, City are likely to opt for a ball-player in the style of Ederson – such as Joan Garcia of Espanyol – rather than a shot-stopping expert, making this deal a low possibility, given the cost and the other areas of the squad that the club need to address.
Donnarumma is worth €35 million, as per Transfermarkt. Les Parisiens are in Champions League action tonight as they face Arsenal in the return leg of the semi-final in Paris.
