From France: Manchester City advancing in negotiations with Marseille over chosen James Trafford replacement | OneFootball

Manchester City are closing in on the signing of Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, with the two clubs in advanced discussions over a fee and an agreement expected in the coming days, as per a new report from France.

The 34-year-old Argentina international has emerged as Manchester City’s preferred option to fill the backup goalkeeper role left vacant by James Trafford’s move to Leeds United earlier in the summer, with director of football Hugo Viana identifying the experienced Argentine as the ideal short-term solution behind Gianluigi Donnarumma at the Etihad Stadium.

Rulli carries a notable connection to the club he is set to join – the Argentine previously held a registration with Manchester City during the 2016-17 season, spending that period on loan at Real Sociedad before ultimately departing permanently to the Spanish club, meaning the agreement now taking shape would represent a return to the Etihad Stadium in a very different capacity from his first association with the club.

Now one of the most experienced goalkeepers in Ligue 1, Rulli has been Marseille‘s first choice since joining from Ajax in August 2024, establishing himself as a reliable and commanding presence between the posts for Roberto De Zerbi‘s side across two seasons in the south of France.

His contract at the Stade Vélodrome runs until June 2027, meaning Marseille retain leverage in any negotiation despite Rulli’s own desire to complete a move to the Premier League – a factor that explains the modest gap between the two clubs’ current valuations of the deal.

Report: Aouna and Denis confirm fee talks as both sides push for swift conclusion

As reported by Santi Aouna and Sébastien Denis of Foot Mercato, Manchester City’s offer for Rulli stands at around two million euros, while Marseille are seeking approximately three and a half million euros for their goalkeeper.

Discussions between the two clubs are understood to be ongoing, with both parties pushing toward a conclusion in the coming days – a timeline that aligns with City’s desire to have their backup goalkeeping position resolved before pre-season fixtures begin in earnest and the new season approaches.

Rulli himself is said to want the move, with the Argentine’s personal desire to join City reducing the risk of the kind of protracted player-side negotiations that can complicate transfers of this nature and giving the Etihad Stadium’s hierarchy confidence that a deal can be concluded cleanly once the clubs agree on a fee.

The gap of approximately one and a half million euros between the two positions is modest in the context of the overall deal and the resource available to both clubs, suggesting a middle ground is achievable and that the timeline of coming days is a realistic one rather than an optimistic projection.

What does Rulli’s arrival mean for Man City’s goalkeeping picture?

Rulli’s signing would complete the overhaul of Manchester City’s goalkeeping department that has unfolded over the course of the summer, with Donnarumma firmly established as the undisputed number one and Trafford’s exit having left the backup position in need of experienced cover that the club’s younger development options cannot yet provide.

At 34, Rulli brings a wealth of experience across Ligue 1, La Liga, Serie A and the Champions League, having made himself a name as a technically accomplished goalkeeper comfortable with the ball at his feet – a quality that Enzo Maresca and Viana will have weighted heavily in assessing candidates for a role that demands significant involvement in build-up play regardless of starting status.

Oliver Whatmuff has already departed for his season-long loan at Stockport County, while Max Chabot is on tour in Asia as an academy trialist, leaving City with an acknowledged short-term need for an experienced senior backup that Rulli is understood to meet in terms of both profile and availability.

Whether the fee gap can be bridged before the opening pre-season fixture against Inter Milan on 1 August, or whether the deal concludes slightly beyond that date, is ultimately a logistical question – the substantive elements of the transfer, including Rulli’s own desire to join, appear already to be in place.