A Fresh Start In-Between the Sticks

In 2021, Gianluigi Donnarumma made his name on English shores after an incredible Euros performance. The following seasons saw the Italian keeper oscillate between mediocre league and elite big moment performances.

Now, after being shown the door in Paris, he seems to be on his way to Pep Guardiola.

The second-best Gianluigi to sit between the sticks, Donnarumma, remains a fascinating player. Obviously an elite keeper, the Italian rose to the occasion, but has now left two clubs in bad circumstances.

To paraphrase Draymond Green, there are 82 game players and 16 game players. Essentially, he means that there are players meant for the regular season and those built for high-stakes moments. Very few keepers live for big moments like the Italian.

While any club dreams about bringing a player of Donnarumma’s caliber, his fit with Pep feels a little strange. There is no doubt that on his day, he can be the best keeper on Earth; the Italian is not a Pep keeper. Ederson plays the perfect keeper in Pep’s system, but he lacks the truly top-class characteristics of Donnarumma.

Already having brought in a new keeper, City’s keeper room adds, perhaps, the best shot stopper on Earth.

With Pep looking to return the Citizens to the top of the league, Donnarumma might help elevate what was a weak defense. 

Italy’s second greatest Gianluigi arrives in Manchester with an impressive trophy case. Despite seeming to have been a top keeper for a decade, the keeper is still only 26, meaning he is both the present and future for the Citizens. 

PHOTO: LiveScore/Facebook

When he broke out for A.C. Milan at 15, the obvious comparisons to another Gianluigi, Buffon, immediately spread. A wonderkid from the moment he made his first save, Donnarumma’s first season gave hope to a Milan team in desperate need of it. After making his debut in 2015, the expectations thrust onto the 15-year-old may have broken others, but not Donnarumma.

In the seasons following his debut, he continued to develop into one of the best keepers in the Serie A. By the 2021 Euros, most saw him as a great keeper, but not the player he had promised to be when he first stepped in goal. Stunning performances strung together made him the best keeper on Earth by the end, breaking English hearts to claim that title.

After winning the Champions League with PSG this year, the Italian should have been the clear-cut number one in the city of light. Having already won at both the club and international levels, his future promised to reach the loftiest expectations placed on him.

Instead, Luis Enrique and PSG deemed him as no longer integral to the side out of nowhere this week. This caught the market by surprise, with most of the top clubs already being secured at the number one position. Given his age and performances, Donnarumma felt like a good bet to keep developing into a club’s top choice for the next decade.

If Donnarumma had been made available earlier in the summer, most of Europe would have been fighting each other for his signature. Juventus, long-time suitors for their own Gianluigi replacement, seemed destined to host the Italian for the next decade. Instead, City picked up the best keeper almost by accident.

At the time of his debut, fans named Donnarumma as the next great keeper, one to replace the likes of Buffon and Casillas.

Growing pains pushed him out of the spotlight after his debut, but since 2021, Donnarumma has met those expectations.

Donnarumma fits into just about any club. However, Pep Guardiola’s style seems like a strange fit.

Upon arriving in Manchester, Pep deemed Joe Hart as useless to his system, despite the Englishman still being in his prime. After failing with Claudio Bravo, City struck gold with Ederson. Despite some glaring issues with his game, the Brazilian helped lead Pep’s side to a Champions League title.

Ederson graded out as a starting-level keeper for most top-half Prem sides, but not a truly elite keeper. Despite winning almost everything at the club level, he continues to play second fiddle to Alisson for the Brazil national team.

Due to the defensive issues suffered by City last season, City has already made a move for a new keeper. James Trafford showed signs of intriguing potential last season with Burnley. Only allowing 16 goals last season in the Championship, Trafford feels like he’s a season away from being a top-flight keeper.

Despite Trafford’s potential, Donnarumma may be too good to turn down. While his numbers took a hit in Ligue 1 last year, previous seasons still show that he is an elite shot stopper. Part of last season’s struggles comes from Enrique’s lack of faith in him.

Near the bottom of comparable keepers for touches, live play touches show both the player and the backline’s lack of faith in his passing. Another concerning stat for a Pep keeper is his low average goal kick distance, which doubles down the concerns over his game. Again, the Italian’s shot-stopping ability continues to be too good to turn down.

Last season’s struggles, and an imperfect fit in Pep’s system, make this transfer a little strange.

With an already crowded keeper room, Donnarumma still profiles as the best keeper in the Prem.

After winning the Euros in 2021, Donnarumma seemed to have finally reached his peak. While he continued to win trophies, including the Champions League, the Italian finds himself adrift this summer.

Pep may have accidentally stumbled onto his keeper for the next decade, but his fit in the Spaniard’s system raises some concerns.