Glenn Hoddle has suggested that the manager of a player who could soon be offloaded to Manchester City may not really want him to go after all.
The Citizens have enjoyed a fruitful summer on the transfer front, signing a host of top talents like Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki and Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Now, the opportunity for Manchester City to sign one of the best players in the world has suddenly presented itself after his head coach froze him out – but Hoddle is not so sure.
Gianluigi Donnarumma in action during Paris Saint-Germain v Arsenal
Photo by Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images
Glenn Hoddle feels Luis Enrique doesn’t really want to sell Gianluigi Donnarumma
The player in question is Gianluigi Donnarumma, whose time at Paris Saint-Germain is effectively over.
PSG have been unable to agree a new deal with Donnarumma and, with the Italy international’s contract expiring next summer, they have frozen him out.
This has led to Donnarumma’s camp looking for a new destination for their client, and City are firmly in the picture.
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However, Hoddle reckons Enrique may not really want to lose Donnarumma after all, suggesting PSG have taken this course of action for the benefit of new goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier.
“I’m pretty sure if you sat down and had a beer with him and he opened his heart out, I think he would be saying ‘I want to keep Donnarumma, I want to keep him here, put him on a four year contract’,” Hoddle said on TNT Sports.
“As a manager, sometimes you think if he’s got to go, we’ve got to spin this a little bit. We’ve got to turn this round. Give the new keeper some confidence as well. He’ll feel 10 foot tall.”
What Luis Enrique said about Gianluigi Donnarumma future as rumoured price tag emerges
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter whether Enrique secretly wants to keep Donnarumma or not – what matters is that the decision has officially been made.
“I am supported by my club and we are trying to find the best solution,” Enrique told a news conference on Tuesday ahead of the UEFA Supercup.
“It is a difficult decision. I only have praise for Donnarumma. He is one of the very best goalkeepers out there and an even better man.
“But we were looking for a different profile. It’s very difficult to take these types of decisions.”
L’Equipe previously claimed Donnarumma could be available for an initial fee of €40million (£34million) and €15million (£13million) in add-ons.
And according to Fabrizio Romano, City and Donnarumma’s camp have held fruitful opening talks which bode well for a potential move to the Etihad Stadium.