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Gianluigi Donnarumma has placed Premier League clubs on high alert following confirmation of his departure from Paris Saint-Germain.
The goalkeeper has been informed by manager Luis Enrique that his services are no longer required at PSG, prompting him to issue a strongly worded farewell message on Instagram. "Unfortunately, someone has decided that I can no longer be part of the group and contribute to the team's success," he said. "I am disappointed and disheartened."
Earlier that day, Enrique had confirmed Donnarumma's exclusion from the squad for Wednesday's Super Cup clash against Tottenham. "Donnarumma is out of the squad as it's my own decision. I am 100 percent responsible," said Enrique.
"I want a different kind of goalkeeper and I made this decision. Gigio is one of the best goalkeepers in the whole world. The life of a top-level footballer, and the same goes for us coaches, is this: it wasn't an easy decision but I take full responsibility for it."
At just 26 years of age, and having lifted the European Championship with Italy in 2021 and claimed Champions League glory with PSG in May, the shot-stopper should have no shortage of admirers.
With the summer transfer window remaining open until September 1, plenty of time remains for a move to materialize, but which destination might beckon? Here are three options for the goalkeeper...
Manchester City
The latest whispers are emanating from the Etihad, where it's rumored that Pep Guardiola has a soft spot for Donnarumma. There's been quite a bit of shuffling in City's goalkeeping ranks this summer, with speculation about Ederson possibly heading to Galatasaray, followed by the club bringing James Trafford back from Burnley.
Tuesday brought news, courtesy of L'Equipe, that Donnarumma had agreed to personal terms with City. The Italian is reportedly very keen on a move to City, who will now have to hammer out a fee with PSG.
Donnarumma's contract runs out in less than a year, so City will undoubtedly try to get him on the cheap. His arrival would likely signal the end of Ederson's eight-year tenure at the club and mean Trafford once again taking a backseat at his childhood club.
Manchester United
There have been persistent doubts over Andre Onana's form at United ever since he joined from Inter Milan, and things came to a head last season. Ruben Amorim was forced to pull Onana from the front line after a mistake-ridden performance against Lyon in the Europa League, but his replacement, Altay Bayindir, didn't fare any better.
United reportedly touched base with Aston Villa to enquire about the availability of Emi Martinez earlier this summer, while the Red Devils have also been linked with Royal Antwerp's Senne Lammens.
Donnarumma has always seemed a lofty target, given United's absence from European soccer and the club's 15th-placed finish last season. The club has distanced itself from a move for him, which would seem unlikely anyway.
One issue is United's lack of available funds. Donnarumma fell out with PSG after demanding a hefty new contract, and United would need to offload some of its surplus players before adding to its summer spending spree. Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho are United's most valuable assets in that regard.
Chelsea
Robert Sanchez has never truly convinced as Chelsea's goalkeeper, who made an attempt to sign Mike Maignan earlier this summer. The Blues have sold Djordje Petrovic to Bournemouth, sent Kepa Arrizabalaga to Arsenal, and let Marcus Bettinelli go to City.
They still have Filip Jorgensen and Mike Penders on their books, with the latter highly-rated and currently on loan at Strasbourg for the season. Chelsea is reportedly content with its options, and the move for Maignan was an opportunistic one, rather than a planned one.
However, the opportunity to sign Donnarumma, who would undoubtedly be a step up from the mistake-prone Sanchez, could sway Chelsea's decision. Despite Sanchez's improvement towards the end of last season and his alignment with Enzo Maresca's philosophy of playing out from the back, he is always prone to a gaffe.
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