Gianluigi Donnarumma’s agent fails to rule out Manchester City exit and return to former league | OneFootball

Gianluigi Donnarumma has relished life since moving to Manchester City but his agent has failed to rule out a potential return to the Italian top-flight for the goalkeeper. 

Enzo Raiola made all the difference when Donnarumma joined Pep Guardiola’s side from Paris Saint-Germain for £26 million last summer and the Italy international has since become one of, if not, City’s most influential players this season. 

More often than not, the 26-year-old is critical in tight-knit games and helped reduce City’s embarrassing defeats in this past week; first, a derby loss against Manchester United which could have ended much worse from a City standpoint before Bodo/Glimt condemned Guardiola’s side in the Arctic Circle on Tuesday. 

Donnarumma began his career at AC Milan and broke through the ranks while setting new records across the Serie A. In 2016, he became the youngest ever player to appear for Italy and represented his nation at the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament, where his side beat England. 

The majority of the shot-stopper’s success has come from Italy and having been born there makes for a much easier return if the offer ever arrives – which his agent said they would take without hesitation.

Speaking to Calciomercato, which has been translated and relayed by Get Italy Football News, Raiola said, “Today at Manchester City he’s finding serenity with the team and environment, and he likes the project very much. He is also starting to understand the English league.

“The other day he told me jokingly that playing five or six years there [in England] is an adventure, but it was a joke… If, however, there is the opportunity to return to Italy, we will take it.”

The report suggested that although Italy remains an attractive prospect for the former Milan goalkeeper, the financial hurdles that teams such as Inter or Juventus would have to endure make for a complex operation. 

Gianluigi Donnarumma is currently Manchester City’s fourth-highest paid player, joined by John Stones and Ruben Dias on £250,000 per week. To reference, Juventus’ fourth-highest paid player is Francisco Conceicao, who is paid £117,000 per week. 

In his first interview with the Manchester City website shortly after signing for the club, Donnarumma said, “I think his history speaks for itself. The fact that he [Pep Guardiola] wanted me here is a reason to be proud of. It’s an indescribable emotion.

“Being coached by him I think is the best for a football player. I can’t wait to follow him and take to the pitch with him. I’m sure he will help me a lot and we will do great things together, this season as well as in the following years.”

It is yet to be seen whether Gianluigi Donnarumma stays in the north-west or decides he has had enough so early into his contract, but a move elsewhere is understandably unlikely at this stage.