Ally McCoist has claimed that Manchester City would have to change their tactics if a £43million player on their radar signs for the club.
Manchester City have overhauled their squad over the past nine months, signing a multitude of exciting new players in both transfer windows.
However, there’s still work to do, considering how badly City performed in their 2-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend.
One player remains firmly in City’s sights, but Ally McCoist doesn’t think he could just slot in seamlessly in Pep Guardiola’s ranks.
PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma salutes the supporters following the Ligue 1 McDonald's football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and SCO Angers at Parc des Princes stadium on August 22, 2025
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Ally McCoist says Manchester City would have to change their tactics to accommodate Gianluigi Donnarumma
The player in question is Gianluigi Donnarumma, who is wanted by Man City after being frozen out at Paris Saint-Germain.
Indeed, some Manchester United fans feels Man City will definitely sign Donnarumma after James Trafford’s poor display against Tottenham.
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McCoist, speaking on talkSPORT, said there is “absolutely no way” that City’s players will have the same confidence in passing to Donnarumma as they do with Ederson.
With that in mind, McCoist predicts a “change in their mindset” to accommodate the Italian.
“Well, they’ll have to, Jeff,” McCoist told Jeff Stelling when asked whether City would have to change their tactics.
Because having seen Donnarumma, who incidentally probably put in a couple of the best goalkeeper performances I saw last season, Alisson’s performance in the Parc des Princes was incidentally, the best I saw all season.
“Incredible performance, but Donnarumma had some magical performances for PSG. But I don’t remember any of his highlights being with his feet, to be quite frank.
“So if they do sign him, I would suggest to you that there’ll have to be a change in their mindset, because there is absolutely no way, I think, that the Man City back four can or will have the same confidence in passing him the ball than they would Ederson, for example.
“So right away, that’s a change in your tactic. So if he does come, I think it would have to be a different Man City.”
READ MORE: Manchester City fans say Pep Guardiola dropped an ‘absolute blunder’ by not playing £34m man vs Tottenham
The compromise Manchester City will have to make
Admittedly, Donnarumma might not be the best with the ball at his feet, but there’s no denying that he is the best shot-stopper around.
Rio Ferdinand also spoke about Donnarumma’s less-than-impressive skills with his feet, but he noted that the Italian was “outrageous” at times in the Champions League last season.
Donnarumma was also a key player for Italy when it came to Euro 2020, helping them go all the way with his superb goalkeeping.
City may have to tweak their playing style at the back if Donnarumma joins, but it seems a reasonable compromise when it comes to signing one of the world’s best keepers.
Better still, Donnarumma is said to be available for around £43million, which is a bargain for a player of his quality, experience and age.