With Serie A coming to a close this past weekend, the name on everyone’s lips was that of Juventus legend Gianluigi Buffon. Buffon played his last match for Juve on Saturday and is set join a new club this offseason. The latest speculation has him linked with a switch to Paris Saint-Germain, although it was not too long ago that another Italian keeper named Gianluigi was being linked with a move to Paris.
AC Milan’s Gianluigi Donnarumma is one of the hottest prospects in world football at the moment, and it’s easy to see why. Donnarumma, who is still only 19 years old, has had a sensational start to his career. He made his first team debut for Milan in March of 2015, when he was only 16, and he’s been the Rossoneri’s starting keeper ever since.
Donnarumma stands at 6-5 and could indeed still be growing. His massive figure is already imposing enough, and he has a pair of steady and proven hands that are only getting better with experience.
Donnarumma has already played 125 games for Milan and has even been capped by Italy five times. The hype and comparisons touting him to be the next Buffon seem to be rooted in his strong body of work so far, however, not all is as idyllic as it appears for Italy’s goalkeeping heir apparent.
The Problems At Milan
Since emerging from Milan’s youth team, Rossoneri faithful were quick to fall in love with the boy they affectionately call “Gigio.” A Buffon of Milan’s very own, things didn’t stay this amorous between Milan and Donnarumma very long.
First, it began with a perceived contract dispute involving Milan, Donnarumma and every football club’s least favorite agent, Mino Raiola — who happens to represent Gigio.
Last summer, it was expected that Donnarumma would not renew his expiring contract with Milan, with Rossoneri CEO Marco Fassone even stating he had spoken to Raiola, who indicated Donnarumma would not re-sign with Milan.
This led to severe backlash from Milan fans, who pelted Donnarumma with fake dollar bills when he was playing for Italy in the opening match of the 2017 U-21 European Championship. Disgruntled fans even dubbed him Dollarumma, chanting the insulting nickname from the stands. This, however, quickly blew over when he signed an extension with Milan a month later, keeping him at the club until 2021. All was right with the world again, or so it seemed.
Milan have had a disastrous season this year, especially considering all the expectation and promise that came with their new ownership, who bought 11 new players last summer to lead Milan’s renaissance back into Europe’s elite.
Milan finished sixth this season and all the players, old and new, underwhelmed throughout the campaign. This did not go over well with Milan’s ultras, who took it out on their “beloved” keeper.
In December, during a Coppa Italia match, Rossoneri fans unfurled a banner which read: "Moral violence, 6 million per year and the signing of a parasite brother? Now get out, the patience is over!"
The “parasite brother” was in reference to Donnarumma’s older brother, Antonio, also a goalkeeper who Milan signed when Gigio renewed his contract. This incident reduced Gigio to tears, and since then, rumors of him once again moving away from Milan have been rampant. But just where could he end up if he does go?
Another Gianluigi For Paris
PSG was said to be one of the most interested parties in acquiring Donnarumma last summer during his contract dispute. However, given the fact that Paris now seem set to sign Donnarumma’s goalkeeping hero Buffon, this rumor seems to have died down for now.
Real Madrid Speculation
Real Madrid were supposedly one of the other big teams keeping an eye on Donnarumma last year. Although, as we’ve learned over the past few summers, speculation about Real Madrid and goalkeepers seems to be just that. One minute they’re supposedly unhappy with Keylor Navas and want David de Gea or Thibaut Courtois, but Navas has just led Madrid to a third straight Champions League final, pulling off some fantastic saves along the way. Navas’ job seems safe for now.
Liverpool? Juventus?
Liverpool have been most recently touted as the most likely destination for Donnarumma, with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp supposedly set to break the bank and even include a Liverpool squad player in the rumored deal.
Interestingly, ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina is set to join Milan this summer on a free transfer which complicates Donnarumma’s position with the club even further. Maybe a move away to Anfield to replace the underperforming Kop duo of Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius is just what Donnarumma needs.
Don’t expect him to go to Juventus and take Buffon’s old spot though. Juventus chief executive Giuseppe Marotta [has said] [https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/juventus-not-interested-milan-goalkeepe... they aren’t interested in signing Donnarumma to replace Buffon. And this is probably a good thing for Gigio — the Milan ultra fans would probably be really pissed and unfurl hundreds of insulting banners next time around.
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