Gianluigi Donnarumma is a new Manchester City player, but it is a transfer that does not make a lot of sense.
Man City secured a deal for Donnarumma on deadline day after agreeing a £26m transfer fee with Paris Saint-Germain for the 26-year-old, who replaces Ederson at the Etihad Stadium after the Brazilian chose to accept a new challenge at Fenerbahce.
The opportunity to sign the Italian goalkeeper came out of nowhere this summer after Luis Enrique decided that Donnarumma didn’t suit his style fully, following the FIFA Club World Cup and brought in Lucas Chevalier as his new number one.
Man City saw this as an opportunity that was too good to refuse and made a move for the Italy international, despite the transfer not making any sense.
Gianluigi Donnarumma with the Champions League trophy.
Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Man City have overpaid for Gianluigi Donnarumma
When it comes to Man City’s latest signing, many feel the addition of Donnarumma does not make sense as the 26-year-old’s ball-playing skills are not up to the standard of most goalkeepers, which is essential to how Pep Guardiola likes his teams to play.
There is another element of this transfer that raises questions, and that is the finances involved, which not many people seem to be discussing.
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Man City have paid £26m for a player that had one year left on his contract, was unwanted at PSG, and there were not many rivals to City for his signature.
Although the transfer fee doesn’t seem like a lot, given that it is for a goalkeeper, the Premier League giants have slightly overpaid for the 26-year-old, but that is not the main issue.
The main concern is Donnarumma’s salary. According to Football Italia, the goalkeeper will earn an initial salary of £13m (€15m) at the Etihad Stadium, which puts him in fourth place on the club’s payroll, level with John Stones.
This is outrageous money to be paying a goalkeeper, especially when it is more than double what the Manchester club were paying Ederson, who was earning £5.2m a year at the Premier League giants.
Although Man City fans will be excited about a big-name player joining their club, questions need to be asked about some of the decisions being made at present, with the proof being what is happening on the pitch.
The highest earners at Manchester City
The highest earner at Man City is Erling Haaland by far, with the Norwegian superstar bringing in a massive £27.3m per year at the Manchester club, having recently signed a new deal.
Bernardo Silva is second on the list, with the Portuguese midfielder earning £15.6m at City, £225k-a-week less than Haaland.
Player Salary per week
Erling Haaland £525k
Bernardo Silva £300k
Omar Marmoush £295k
Gianluigi Donnarumma £250k
John Stones £250k
Tijjani Reijnders £230k
The highest earners at Man City (data via Spotrac)
When it comes to Donnarumma, the Italian is joint fourth on the list, with his £250k-per-week being incredible money to be earning as a goalkeeper, with only a handful of shot-stoppers paid more, such as Manuel Neuer and Thibaut Courtois.
Only time will tell if Man City have made the right decision by signing the Italian star, as if the 26-year-old can help the Manchester club win the Premier League, all the talk around him becomes irrelevant.