A summer of blockbuster transfers has witnessed its latest bombshell after the recent announcement of Gianluigi Donnarumma’s Paris Saint-Germain departure.
Despite starring in PSG’s run to Champions League glory last season and being nominated for the 2025 Yashin Trophy, Donnarumma has been pushed out of the exit door at Parc des Princes by manager Luis Enrique. He’s said his farewells and attention now turns to his next destination.
Donnarumma’s agent has tipped his client for a high-profile switch to the Premier League after PSG slapped a €50 million (£43.2 million, $58.3 million) price tag on the Italian, who is out of contract with the European champions next summer.
But England’s top flight is not the only mooted destination for the 26-year-old, with clubs from around the world now circling one of the finest goalkeepers around.
Manchester City
Manchester City appear the most probable destination for Donnarumma this summer despite the club having already recruited two goalkeepers. James Trafford has returned to the Etihad Stadium after a prosperous spell with Burnley and is expected to compete for minutes next season, while Marcus Bettinelli has been drafted in as third-choice to replace Scott Carson.
However, City are reportedly very keen on signing Donnarumma following his PSG fallout an could even sanction the exit of Ederson, who has been regularly linked with a departure this summer, to facilitate a deal. The Brazilian is strongly linked with a move to Galatasaray after eight years of impeccable service at the Etihad.
Ederson’s deputy Stefan Ortega has also been touted with an exit during the summer window and appears destined to leave the club, which would make room for Donnarumma in City’s roster. They could certainly afford PSG’s asking price, too.
Enrique’s desire to ditch Donnarumma comes from the Italy international’s lack of certainty with the ball at his feet, which would certainly make a transfer to City odd given Pep Guardiola’s possession-based philosophy. Ederson is comfortably the world’s best distributor in his position, although Donnarumma is a superior shot-stopper.
Regardless of City’s style and system, they appear ready to make their move for the PSG star.
Manchester United
Manchester United have been readily linked with signing a new goalkeeper throughout the summer given André Onana’s struggles since moving to Old Trafford, with Emiliano Martínez among those tipped to replace the Cameroon international. Now Donnarumma is available, it would be negligent of United not to consider the towering stopper.
Given his age, experience and ability, he would prove an excellent addition to Ruben Amorim’s squad and certainly an upgrade on Onana. However, there is no guarantee that the Red Devils recruit in between the sticks this summer and they have been distanced from any potential deal.
It’s been reported by BBC Sport’s Simon Stone that “goalkeeper [is] not a priority for Man Utd” and links with Donnarumma are unfounded, with the Red Devils also needing to be wary of their financial situation after spending big on forwards this summer.
Still, United’s transfer business has often been opportunistic in recent windows, meaning Donnarumma cannot be definitively ruled out as a potential addition.
Chelsea
Similarly to United, Chelsea are not reportedly in the race to sign Donnarumma. The Blues have also been tipped to reinforce the goalkeeper position during the summer window but it appears that Enzo Maresca has faith in his current options. Robert Sánchez and Filip Jörgensen are not elite options but Chelsea have prioritised strengthening elsewhere over the transfer window.
However, it’s worth remembering that Chelsea were eager to sign Mike Maignan—Donnarumma’s successor at Milan—before the FIFA Club World Cup, somewhat undermining Maresca’s apparent confidence in Sánchez and Jörgensen.
Much like United, the Blues often struggle to contain themselves when a promising opportunity arises in the market, with Donnarumma’s pedigree perhaps proving too strong to ignore for the west Londoners.
Galatasaray
Galatasaray have seen modern legend Fernando Muslera leave after 14 years with the club over the summer and are eager to replace the veteran with a big name. Man City’s Ederson has been top of their wish list and Donnarumma’s potential switch to the Etihad could pave the way for them to sign the Brazil international.
However, Gala are also seemingly interested in Donnarumma, and have already managed to secure permanent deals for Leroy Sané and Victor Osimhen this summer as they look to reassert themselves as a major force in European competition. They clearly have a strong pull, although whether Donnarumma would be interested in a move to Turkey as he enters his prime remains to be seen.
Saudi Pro League
The Saudi Pro League are always lurking in the shadows when one of Europe’s superstars is on the move and they are likely to be involved in the race for Donnarumma. Darwin Núñez, Theo Hernández and João Félix are among the big names to have joined the division this summer and the league’s top teams will have no issues paying for Donnarumma’s transfer—as well as handing him an outrageous wage.
But, much like the situation regarding Gala, Donnarumma might not be interested in making the move to the likes of Al Hilal or Al Ittihad at just 26 years old. There’s a strong chance the goalkeeper decides to continue at Europe’s elite level, which would rule out another major coup for the Saudi Pro League.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Five Potential Destinations for Gianluigi Donnarumma.
