Man City confident of signing world-class star in bargain £30m deal – sources

Manchester City are keen on signing Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain before the summer transfer window closes on September 1, sources have told TEAMtalk, although a French journalist has urged Cityzens manager Pep Guardiola to stay away from the Italy international goalkeeper.

TEAMtalk understands that Man City’s interest in Donnarumma remains alive, with the Premier League club continuing to weigh up a move in the wake of James Trafford’s costly mistake in their 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday.

Sources insist that Trafford, who joined Man City from Burnley earlier this summer, was never intended to be the guaranteed No.1 this season, but rather to compete for the shirt.

That remains the plan, and that is why Donnarumma continues to be considered as an option – especially with uncertainty still surrounding the futures of Ederson and Stefan Ortega.

Man City are exploring the possibility of negotiating over PSG’s demands, with the belief they could even secure the Italy international goalkeeper for closer to £30million (€34.6m, $40.6m) rather than the £40million (€46.1m, $54.1m)-plus the French club have been pushing to raise.

The defeat to Tottenham has sharpened focus on Man City’s goalkeeping situation, and the prospect of bringing in a player of Donnarumma’s stature and experience is seen as increasingly significant as they seek stability in a key position.

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Man City told to avoid Gianluigi Donnarumma

Donnarumma is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and won Ligue 1 and the Champions League with PSG last season.

The world-class 26-year-old, who won Euro 2020 with Italy, is out of contract at PSG at the end of the season and has already announced that he will leave this summer.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has reported on X that ‘Donnarumma has agreed on personal terms with Manchester City’ and is ‘keen on joining Pep Guardiola’ at the Etihad Stadium, but French football expert Julien Laurens does not think that he is the right profile for the Citizens.

Laurens told Sky Sports: “Only Man City are talking to his people and talking to PSG to see what’s possible and how quickly they could do it. Which then leads us to, is he the right fit for Guardiola and Man City?

“And the answer is 100 per cent that he isn’t. I don’t want City fans to go after me. On his line, the saves that he made for PSG in the Champions League, he’s the best in the world. Him and [Thibaut] Courtois, there’s no one better.

“I give you that, and maybe that’s enough for Guardiola to say, ‘yes, I want him’, and City fans would be happy excited and happy.

“However, the most important thing a keeper has to do for Guardiola is being really good with the ball at his feet. Remember what happened with Joe Hart, Claudio Bravo, people like that.

“If you’re not good with the ball at your feet, you’re not a Guardiola keeper. Donnarumma is not good with the ball at his feet, his distribution is not good enough for Guardiola’s City team.

“Then, his other weakness is he doesn’t come out for the ball in the air. He doesn’t like coming out for crosses, corners.

“If there is one league in the world where your keeper has to be brave – and we saw that with [Altay] Bayindir in Manchester United vs Arsenal – it’s the Premier League.

“So I cannot see how Guardiola thinks, ‘he’s the perfect guy for me’. PSG have conceded many goals because he doesn’t come out for crosses and set pieces, both in the league and Champions League.

“On top of that, he’s going to cost you around £40m in transfer fees. He wants big wages, which was one of the problems at PSG, probably around £300-350,000 a week.

“I know he’s still only 26, he can be at your club for 10 years. But all of that makes me think, ‘really City’?”

Latest Man City news: Savinho update, Defender sale

Sources have told TEAMtalk that Tottenham are gaining confidence over signing Savinho from Man City before the summer transfer window closes on September 1.

Romano has revealed the truth behind rumours that Man City are keen on beating city-rivals Manchester United to the signing of a Belgian star.

TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, has reported that Man City are open to selling one of their best defenders this summer.

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