Manchester City have reportedly agreed personal terms with Gianluigi Donnarumma and are thought to be in active negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain regarding a suitable fee.

Donnarumma announced his shock departure from PSG earlier this month a matter of weeks after leading the team to their first-ever Champions League title. The Italian goalkeeper’s agent claimed that his client had been prepared to lower his salary in order to stay in the French capital, but PSG boss Luis Enrique made it clear he was no longer welcome by signing Lucas Chevalier as his replacement.

Only clubs in the Premier League and Saudi Pro League are thought to be capable of matching the financial demands of a deal and it appears that Manchester City have taken a decisive step towards snapping up arguably the world’s best goalkeeper.

Pep Guardiola’s side have settled on a suitable contract for Donnarumma, according to Fabrizio Romano. City are yet to agree a fee with PSG, but the report claims that it will be below the €50 million (£43.3 million, $58.4 million) initially demanded.

However, there will only be space in City’s squad if Ederson leaves. Galatasaray have reportedly already tabled a €10 million bid for the Brazilian shot-stopper which has opened up negotiations.

News of this development in City’s pursuit of Donnarumma comes hot on the heels of a calamitous performance from James Trafford. The summer recruit from Burnley became the most expensive English goalkeeper of all time to challenge Ederson for a starting spot. After keeping a clean sheet against Wolverhampton Wanderers on his senior debut for the club he first joined as a 12-year-old, Trafford did not cover himself in glory during Saturday’s 2–0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

Guardiola insisted that his decision to start Trafford for City’s first two games of the season was not a declaration of his unwavering trust in the 22-year-old. “James made a good first game and I decided to continue [with him],” the Catalan coach explained.

“The keeper is a special position, of course, to have more consistency in the goal. When I take decisions in the first part of the season for all the players who play one or two games, everyone thinks ‘OK this is the starting line-up, these are the players who are going to play,’ but with these amount of games, everyone will play.

“It was just today I decided that.”

In the coming weeks, Guardiola may be able to decide that Donnarumma should take up position between the posts for City.


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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man City Strike Gianluigi Donnarumma ’Agreement’, Transfer Fee Discussed.